Caroline Allouf lays flowers after the death of a woman called Rachel  in Mortimer Market

A WOMAN in her 40s has been found dead in the tent she was living in near Tottenham Court Road.

The woman, who is thought to be called Rachel, was found deceased in her tent in Mortimer Market by University College London Hospital on Sunday (July 13) afternoon.

Police officers have said the death is “unexpected but not suspicious”.

Since then a police cordon has been kept in place, which means people staying in other tents next to her have not been able to access their belongings. This included someone’s tools they needed for work.

Grassroots support group Streets Kitchen has bought them tents while they can’t access their things.

Someone who camped next to Rachel said she was “full of life and she would help you if you needed help”.

He said he only knew her for about a month, and was told she was from Leicester.

On Tuesday a notice was put up by a legal firm on behalf of the property owner UCLH Charity implying their things will be confiscated.

The letter stated their tents and belongings are being stored by private security firm My Local Bobby so that works can be carried out. It included a photo of the tents behind the police tape, which was taken after Rachel died on Sunday.

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Caroline Allouf, a shift lead at the charity Shower Box where Rachel would shower, said: “This sign appears with no mention that someone has died. It’s mind-blowing. What breaks my heart is that what’s forgotten in all of this is the emotions linked to what’s gone on.

“On top of having to experience the complete shock of what’s going on, once again, people are getting the same damn message again and again: that they’re not fully human, they don’t really matter or have the same needs as you and me.”

Speaking on the number of homeless people who die on the streets she added: “I get more and more angry. You don’t give yourself enough time to process it. However long you might have known someone for, it’s heartbreaking.

“The connections you make are very quick. I find I can very quickly form an emotional connection with somebody. Just because you don’t know loads of facts about someone. And then they’re just gone.”

Forensic teams in Tottenham Court Road this week and, below, the tents where people experiencing homelessness have been sleeping

A Met police spokesperson said: “Around 16:15hrs on Sunday, 13 July, officers attended Mortimer Market, Camden, after a London Ambulance Service crew sadly found a woman in her 40s had died inside a tent. The death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious. We are making efforts to trace the woman’s next-of-kin.”

Last week was the “busiest” they had been at Shower Box, which is based off Tottenham Court Road. Around 300 people came to shower on one day.

A UCLH Charity spokesperson said: “We are very sorry to hear about the recent death, which is being investigated by the police. Earlier this month we wrote to Camden Council about the rough sleepers in Mortimer Market.

“We need to undertake some work to the rear of our property. We have therefore issued a notice advising of our plans, and the support available.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of this news and our thoughts are with everyone who knew this person.

“We are clear that no one should be sleeping rough and our rough-sleeping service is provi­ding support to others who are in this area. We are working with the police and other partner services to establish how this tragedy happened. Our team had been recently providing support to this person, and across several visits provided emergency supplies and help with accommodation, so there is a deep sadness across our service at this time.”

A spokesperson for Streets Kitchen said: “We are heartbroken to have needlessly lost another friend on the streets. Just this past Saturday morning, we were serving breakfast and having a laugh while playing football with residents there.

“We have now managed to equip all those affected with new tents and basic items, and remain in close contact with them. As of yet, there has been no contact made between these grief-stricken people and the council’s homeless services.

“To also see new, dubious legal paperwork displayed directly after our friend’s death is particularly callous and lacks any empathy and simple humanity.”