29 May 2007: Rags to Riches

A homeless pensioner, who has slept rough in London for over twenty years, is now able to celebrate.

Harry Hallowes, who is 71, has been living in a makeshift shack on a piece of land in Hampstead since the 1980s. He didn't own the land; he just stayed there. Recently a property developer tried to evict him, to build luxury flats on the site, but under English law anyone who can prove they have occupied a piece of land unchallenged for twenty years can claim ownership. Harry's claim has now been upheld by the courts.

The area around Hampstead is well known as an expensive place to live, even by London standards, with many stars and celebrities living there. Estimates for the value of Harry's 800 square-metre plot plot range from 1 to 2 million pounds.

"I'm not impressed with figures", said Harry when told the news, "I just wanted a place to live."