Homeless protesters storm council building in Chester

Group took over upper floors of house claiming squatters' rights and changing locks

Two dozen homeless protesters have stormed a council-owned building in Chester, north-west England, and barricaded themselves inside.
The 20-strong group of rough sleepers, accompanied by a dog, took over the upper floors of Hamilton House in the city centre on Monday night, claiming squatters' rights and reportedly changing the locks once inside.

This comes as official figures revealed that a record number of homeless people died last year. The highest number of deaths were in London and the north-west, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), as charities and MPs warned that cuts are fuelling the homelessness crisis.