Homeless Weymouth man's tent and belongings destroyed in fire

Stephen Bowditch, aged 40, was living in his tent with his dog Hades, within Lodmoor Country Park in Weymouth.

He went out for a late-night walk with his dog in preparation for a charity walk when he returned at 2am on Thursday, April 29 to see his tent and belongings destroyed in a fire.

Mr Bowditch, who has been living in a tent for five years and based at Lodmoor Country Park for two years, was left heartbroken by the sight of his burned tent.

Stephen Bowditch was left without a tent after it was burned while he was away on a late-night walk with his dog, Hades. He has since received money and replaced his lost items thanks to the support of the Weymouth community. Picture: Stephen Bowditch

He said: “I had got back from a walk with my dog and I saw a big pile of ash where my tent was.

“I was completely shocked and I was struggling to think of why it happened or why someone would do this.

“It looked like some of my belongings had been searched and stolen and other bits were burned along with the tent.”

The tent contained clothes, solar panels to charge his phone and equipment, camping equipment, food for himself and his dog and bedding.

He shared online that ‘everything I owned (was) burnt to a crisp’ and added he ‘cannot understand why someone would do that to me.’

After he shared what happened on Facebook, Mr Bowditch was contacted by a number of people who offered him some spare items - including support from an old school friend.

Lee Stocker (left) with Stephen Bowditch (right) as he is handed donations from residents. Picture: Lee Stocker

Lee Stocker said he ‘wanted to help’ after he saw Mr Bowditch’s posts about losing his tent and belongings and he began to ask people and local businesses for donations to help him.

He said: “As soon as I saw that post from Stephen on Facebook, I put up a Facebook post and invited him to my house to pick up some stuff.

“He came over to my house on Saturday and I told him he could have whatever he needed including any camping equipment, any clothes, anything he needed.

“I managed to get £200 for him in donations and I gave him the money. He was nearly in tears when he saw that and the response to the post has been amazing.

“He is a very generous person and a person who has fallen on hard times. He has been offered work through my boss with a job.

Stephen Bowditch with his dog, Hades. Picture: Lee Stocker

“He is in touch with Lantern who have been helpful but it is difficult to get him housing as he has a dog.”

The money has allowed Mr Bowditch to replace his lost items including his solar panels and phone chargers as well as purchase some food.

Mr Bowditch said he was overwhelmed and ‘touched’ when he was inundated with donations and supportive messages from strangers.

He said: “I cannot believe the generosity of people who have helped me and it just shows that there are decent people are out there despite what happened.”

Feeling optimistic for the future, Mr Bowditch has now pitched up in a new tent in a new field, but has not disclosed where he now lives.

Mr Bowditch, a recovered drug addict, said he is content with living in a tent with his dog who ‘saved his life’ and is now looking for a field to safely pitch up for the foreseeable future.

He added: “I do not want to give up Hades to get some housing as some places are unable to accept me with a dog.

“She saved my life. There are people out there who need housing more than me but I am happy living in my tent.”