'We were given 30 minutes to leave cladding-risk flat'

A woman living in a hotel because her apartment block was evacuated over dangerous cladding said she was given 30 minutes to leave her home.

Anne Eason was one of 60 residents told to leave Barbourne Works in Worcester on Wednesday after inspectors found dangers "so significant and the risk to residents was so severe" a prohibition notice was issued.

"I think the knock at my door was about half past eight and we were told we had to be out by nine," she said. "It was a bit heavy-handed. There were police there and you were told that the law said you had to move whether you liked it or not."

Managing agents First Port said action was taken with residents' safety as the highest priority.

Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service placed the building under a prohibition notice after an inspection identified concerns dating back to when the former factory was converted 20 years ago.

Of the 60 people who had to leave the block, there were eight children, a heavily pregnant woman, a couple getting married next week, an autistic man and an army veteran with PTSD.

Ms Eason said residents received a letter from First Port in October 2023 which said fire works had to be done and there had been application for a government grant for new cladding approved in July.

But she claimed nothing had been done since.

"Most of us understand that we can't live in a building that's unsafe but if they're saying it's been unsafe since it was converted, why has it taken 20-odd years for somebody to tell us it's unsafe":[]}