POLICE officers evicted seven homeless people who were living rough in a derelict church in Weymouth.

Six men and one woman were yesterday escorted from the burnt-out shell of Maiden Street Methodist Church in the town centre, because of fears the building could collapse.

The group had formed a squat in rooms adjoining the church for three weeks and claimed the church's minister, the Reverend Les Judd, had invited them to take sanctuary.

But the minister said they broke in and he could not allow them to stay there because of insurance restrictions.

Squatters' spokesman Stephen Carr, 48, was the last to leave. He said: "There have been no complaints and I do not see what we were doing wrong. None of us are junkies, we just have a drink and all we are trying to do is stay out of the cold.

"It is not as if we want to do this, but Weymouth has no night shelter and there is nowhere else for us to go apart from the streets. If we sleep on the seafront or in Esplanade shelters, the police move us on."

Mr Carr's partner Hazel Bolton, 47, , shed tears as she left the squat, which was made secure by builders.

With her belongings in bags, the former foster mum sobbed: "I have worked all my life, I have never been homeless before - where are we going to go?"

Insp Paul Gillott of Weymouth Police said: "We assisted to eject the group at the request of Mr Judd because they posed a fire risk.

"I know some people will think we were picking on them, but there was no other option - there is little doubt that if they were allowed to stay, the insurance would be negated."

Mr Judd said: "My church helps the poor and needy all over the world and it's hard to turn people away from your own doorstep.

"Unfortunately, the building is unsound and they cannot live in inadequate accommodation, and the insurance will not be paid if they are there."

The 134-year-old church has been deserted since it was destroyed by fire in January 2002.

Protracted wrangles with insurers have forced worshippers to join another congregation at St Nicholas Church in Buxton Road.

Firefighters said the cause of the mystery blaze remains unknown.