A tree surgeon stumbled across a woman in a hedge just as he was about to clear the piece of land she was living on.

The woman in Cheshire had been living in the hedge for three years because she said any accommodation she had found in the past would not accept her and her cat.

Gareth Olsen, 43, was shocked to discover the hedge which consisted of tarpaulin, a few umbrellas, an old sleeping bag and blankets and cushions, with her worldly possessions all around her in boxes.

Gareth quickly stepped in to make sure she had all the support she needed by contacting local homeless charity Share.

He said he couldn’t believe the woman had survived in the conditions, saying: ‘It’s such a sad story. I felt so shocked and sorry for her.

‘I was clearing a piece of land for a private landlord and it hadn’t been touched for years. One of our guys was in a tractor and a little hand appeared out of the hedge waving and saying, “I live here.”

‘Bless her. When I first met her I said, I hope you don’t mind me asking but how long have you been here, and she said a couple of years – probably two or three.

‘I asked her how she was managing and she said she was quite a hardy person and all she really needed was a sleeping bag as hers had seen better days. She was clearly not doing well.

‘She was awfully nervous too, thinking we were going to kick her off the site. I said no, I’d like to try to help her. I wasn’t leaving her there. I couldn’t sleep that night, wanting to make sure she was okay.

‘She was insistent at first that she would just move on and make sure the site was tidied before she did so.

‘I’m 43 and a tree surgeon and I consider myself quite hardy but I could not do what she has been doing.’

Adam Dandy, based at Share, confirmed once the outreach team were made aware, with the help and assistance of other local agencies the woman is now receiving help and has found housing.

He said: ‘Whilst this incident is shocking to us all, we would like to thank everyone involved in helping us to help this lady as soon as we were informed of her location and predicament, especially Forfutures, Cheshire West and Chester Council and Chester Police, and special thanks to the tree surgeon Gareth Olsen.’

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