A FATHER left homeless in the Cricklade Road house fire has resorted to camping out in his back garden until he can afford permanent accommodation.

Paul Wilson, 35, lived at 469 Cricklade Road before it was damaged in a fire which destroyed the next door property last week.

Along with three other residents, Paul was offered temporary accommodation by Swindon Borough Council, but said he was wary of the safety of his possessions and declined to take it.

The father-of-one instead decided to erect a tent in the uninhabitable property’s back garden, which he says will be his home until he can secure permanent lodgings.

“I didn’t want to stay somewhere where I couldn’t lock the door. I needed to be safe for my son as well,” said Paul, who has also discovered the tent leaks during recent downpours.

“I had the tent in my room anyway so I thought it was the best idea to ensure I could be safe. But the only place I could camp it is in the garden of the house. It’s not nice to be back here and see how damaged the house is.”

His daily routine now includes a 90-minute commute to his office in Reading with an evening stop-off at the gym to shower and shave. But Paul is far from a happy camper and said he is struggling to cope with losing his home.

“I’ve been through quite a cacophony of different emotions over the last few days. I’ve gone from despair and hopelessness to realising that I just have to get on with it. It’s not getting any easier, it’s just getting worse. My son is the one thing keeping me going. It’s just one thing after another but it’s what I’ve got to do.”

Faced with the pressures of a new job, Paul is determined to scrape together funds for a deposit on a room.

“This has impacted on me being able to see my son and spend quality time with him, that’s the worst thing,” he said.

“Being three weeks into a new job is also difficult and leaves me very little time to search. I’m determined to get myself out of this.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said Mr Wilson had declined accommodation offered and had not been in contact since.

He said: “We met Mr Wilson, and some of the tenants he lives with, at the Jury’s Inn in the immediate aftermath of the fire after the hotel kindly allowed them to use their café facilities.

"After arranging for three of the tenants to temporarily stay in a hotel, we also secured a shared house through a private landlord for the following week.

“Over the weekend the other tenants found themselves alternative accommodation and attempts were made to contact Mr Wilson to show him the room in the shared house.

"Unfortunately, Mr Wilson was not able to view the room until Monday afternoon leaving little time to organise the accommodation for that day. He was offered a room for one night at Booth House as a stop gap until the room was ready.

“After viewing the room, Mr Wilson did not make any further contact with the letting agent.”

Mr Wilson’s landlord did not wish to comment.