Redbridge police have denied confiscating food and sleeping bags from homeless people during raids in Ilford.

Media reports claim that officers took food and possessions from rough sleepers during an operation to eject them from the disused Ilford Baths building in High Road on May 15.

But in a statement issued last night, Redbridge’s borough commander Sue Williams denied the claims which were made in last Thursday’s Ilford Recorder.

She said: “I felt it is only right to inform the community, and all those concerned about the issue of the facts.

“Police from Redbridge have not taken food or sleeping bags from members of the homeless community. A police operation was carried out but it was not as described in the article.”

She added: “A local school, which had raised concerns for their pupils, allowed police access to a disused swimming pool on 15 May to remove trespassers.

“Police entered and a man and a woman, who are not as named in the Ilford Recorder article, were found. Police spoke with them and they left with their sleeping bags and personal possessions.

“No items were seized by police. Local authority staff cleared up drug paraphernalia, a soiled gym mattress, rotting food and other rubbish from the location.”

She said police and council staff also visited a cemetery and asked a rough sleeper to remove his tent before leaving a note on an unoccupied tent asking the owner to remove it within a week.

Redbridge council has also denied any involvement in the alleged confiscation of property.

A council spokeswoman said: "Redbridge council has no powers to remove or confiscate property from the homeless and has not done so.

“The council's cleansing officers responded to a police request to clean up following their operation to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

“The council provides a range of help and support to homeless people, offering services which include temporary accommodation, a winter cold shelter, and an outreach support line for rough sleepers.

“We also work with our partners to provide rough sleepers with access to health care. We are sympathetic to those who find themselves homeless but we also understand the police's responsibility to ensure that any negative impact of rough sleepers is reduced."