CAMPAIGNERS have leapt to the defence of a well-known rough sleeper who has been banned from drawing on the pavement after his possessions were removed by council workers.

Michael Chalkley, who has previously failed to comply with a court order which prohibits him from drawing on the pavement, was away from his regular spot in High Street, Colchester, when council zone wardens cleared the area.

It was witnessed by SOS Bus volunteer Amelia Nobile, who regularly speaks with Mr Chalkley, known to friends as Mick.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I saw what was happening. I know there are a lot of problems in Colchester with rough sleepers but Mick just keeps himself to himself.

“He’s been homeless for a long time and people know him from his spot because of all his drawings and I think people really enjoy them.”

Miss Nobile also said she believed Mr Chalkley has become an “easy target” for the council.

Mr Chalkley, 53, was most recently in court on October 22 to admit three breaches of the order as well as a harassment charge. He was fined a total of £170.

A council spokesman said: “The plight of rough sleepers in the town centre is a major concern of Colchester Council.”We are making significant inroads into securing their long-term accommodation and wider support working with a range of partners, including Beacon House, which provides accommodation to rough sleepers and supports them to access housing and overcome the barriers caused by their complex needs.

“This support needs to be balanced along with our wider efforts to ensure the town centre is safe, clean, crime-free and welcoming to visitors.

“Working in partnership, we operate a policy to remove any items left unattended in the town centre for long periods of time. Not only do multiple items which may include bags and bedding cause obstruction and hazards, more critically in a Garrison town, they could also present a real security risk to residents and visitors.

“On this occasion, we removed the possessions after they had been left for over four hours and took them to Beacon House for collection by the owner at a convenient time.”

Referring to a post on Facebook which attracted strong criticism of the workers who removed Mr Chalkley's property, the spokesman added: “While this work is a delicate balancing act – we condemn posts that attack our staff for carrying out their work in line with our policies and procedures.

"Our zones wardens work hard to keep the borough clean and inviting and we will not accept any personal abuse of them."