A HOMELESS woman who has pitched up on the centre of Hereford’s busiest roundabout said she is going nowhere as she raises awareness about the plight of other people in her position.

Samantha Lamputt, 33, from Hereford, has not had a place to call home for seven months.

In just a matter of months she has spent time camping outside Hereford Police Station, at a bandstand in Ross-on-Wye and is now in the centre of a roundabout on the A49 opposite Tesco, where she has been living for two weeks.

Ms Lamputt, a mother-of-three, said she has chosen the highly visible spot to draw awareness to her plight, and that of others without a home, and is even appealing for sponsorship from local businesses.

She claims she has received no support from the authorities and has simply been asked to ‘sign on’ – although a spokesman for Herefordshire Council said numerous attempts have been made each week over the past several months to provide help and support.

Labelled a ‘junkie’ and a ‘smackhead’ by members of the public, Ms Lamputt says she is neither alcohol nor drug dependent and that people are quick to judge her but all she wants is a place with running water where she won’t be forced to leave.

She said: “I have been offered no emergency accommodation whatsoever. They say they have tried to help but they have just told me to sign on.

“I am trying to raise awareness about it. I have tried to get local businesses to support me and do it myself that way. The council aren’t going to help.”

Ms Lamputt’s current camping spot falls under the remit of Highways England. Previous attempts to raise awareness have included hauling a bath into the city centre.

Before her problems began, she lived happily in a property in Lower Bullingham for 12 years and had gone to college to train in hairdressing and worked on a self-employed basis in the field.

But she claims she was illegally evicted from her home, then given notice to leave a privately rented property which is when she became unintentionally homeless.

Her current situation means she is unable to register to vote – something she wishes to do in order to vote for change in the system – or pay tax.

She also says people do not realise the extent of homelessness in the county, as many people turn to sofa surfing and essentially become ‘hidden homeless’.

She does not want to ‘sign on’ and says no employer would take her on without an address.

“No emergency accommodation has been offered – I would take it like that. They are saying I have to be claiming benefits to be offered it,” she added.

“I just want either emergency housing to be available or somewhere where I can get local amenities and business support.”

In a statement, Herefordshire Council said: “We have made numerous attempts each week over the past several months to help and support the member of public currently camping on the Steels roundabout in Hereford.

“We have advised how they can access benefits and housing (benefits would be required to cover the housing cost if they have no income), however to date they have unfortunately been unwilling to accept this assistance.”