Last resident in Birmingham tower block 'isolated'

Ezekiel Hermon has lived in Saxelby House in the city for 25 years

The last resident in a Birmingham tower block says he feels "isolated and vulnerable" after waiting over two years for new council accommodation.

Ezekiel Hermon has lived in Saxelby House for 25 years. All other residents have been moved as part of demolition plans and he is being taken to court.

He lives in a two-bedroom flat and said he had not been offered suitable properties.

The city council said it sympathised and would continue to support him.

The tower block is being cleared to make way for more affordable homes in Birmingham, the local authority said.

Residents started to be rehoused in April 2019 through a property bidding system, with tenants being offered two options as alternative accommodation.

The rehousing of residents began in April 2019, the council said

To date, the council said Mr Hermon had been given four alternatives, consisting of one- and two-bedroom properties, which have all been refused.

'Not retired'

But Mr Hermon, 46, said he had only been offered one-bedroom retirement flats in high-rise tower blocks, which he said he could not face after becoming "mentally imprisoned" in his own home.

"I am 46 - when this started I was 44... I'm not retired?," he said.

"Why would I come out of a tower block to go back into a tower block? I've just got [been offered] one bedrooms."

Mr Hermon lives on the 12th floor of Saxelby House and says it is a strange living there with no neighbours

Mr Hermon said he was taking medication as a result of his situation, and was fearful of noises he heard at night.

"When you come back at the night, I just have to take a deep breath and shut everything out and go into my flat... seeing all the doors that once had your neighbours in... and you see them all gone... no-one will know exactly how it is to be up there," he said.

The council said his case had been looked at by the government ombudsman who supported the council in trying to find him alternative accommodation.

Regular safety checks are made at the block and as no new accommodation has been found, the authority said it had "reluctantly had to take his case to court".

The tower blocks are to be cleared to make way for new homes