All ex-army veteran really wants for Christmas is a bed

Instead of waking up in a warm bed, the Falklands War hero will turn back the borrowed blankets in his makeshift bed – in a cold, damp shed.

For the 57-year-old, who also served in Northern Ireland, has been living on the streets of Wellington for the last five-and-a-half months.

All Mr Bevans wants for Christmas is a roof over his head for himself and his beloved four dogs – Monty, Cindy, Baby and Suzy – from whom he refuses to be parted.

"I'm not asking for a lot. Just somewhere with four walls and a roof," said Mr Bevans, who lost an eye after a bullet was lodged in his face during military duties and now suffers from epilepsy.

The animal lover has to take a daily mixture of prescribed medication to keep his health problems at bay and says they are made worse by living in cold and damp conditions.

Welsh-born Mr Bevans was forced to make himself a home in an empty shed at the back of a supermarket near Wellington Leisure Centre after the caravan he was living in burned down.

Now he has enlisted the help of town councillor Pat McCarthy and Shropshire Independent Advocacy Scheme (SIAS) to help find him a home.

Dan Horrocks, from SIAS, said: "Greg is inseparable from his dogs and all he asks is that he is housed with them.

"There are no other needs being asked by Greg. He has approached Councillor McCarthy and us for help, and we appeal to local landlords with any property to come forward and give a roof to a man at this time of goodwill to all."

Mr Bevans served in the army for 21 years, including eight tours in Northern Ireland, before being discharged on medical grounds in 1991. His life took a turn for the worst when he lost his wife, Ann, to cancer in 1994 and with it the accommodation they both shared.

He said: "I lost my home at the same time as I lost my wife and I've found it difficult to get accommodation ever since.

"I lived in a caravan for about 14 months at Rowton but that burnt down."

After that, Mr Bevans began looking for accommodation again to no avail and was forced to set up home in a disused shed near Wellington Leisure Centre.

"I've made it as comfortable as I can but the rain still gets in and my tablets get wet. I don't want any Christmas presents – just somewhere to live," he said.

Councillor McCarthy said Wellington residents had shown great kindness by giving food to Mr Bevans and his dogs.

"What he needs is a proper roof over his head. It's a tragedy that at this time of year, a homeless man is faced with a very cold Christmas," he said.

Councillor McCarthy has taken Mr Bevans' plight to Wellington Town Council and said he and SIAS were also hoping Telford & Wrekin Council and housing trusts would help find him a home.

Steve Watkins, lead worker at the Salvation Army's Kip Project in Tan Bank, Wellington, where Mr Bevans is a visitor said: "He's really struggling to find anywhere to live."

He added; "He's been coming to us since July and we've found him to be a jovial person."

The Kip project was launched in 2004 as part of the National Churches Homelessness Sunday awareness campaign 'Building Justice – Yes we can'.

By Deborah Bowyer