Annabel Croft reveals how the reality of life on the street can be.
SPi’s Stuart Cleverley Protection Officer Famous Rich & Homeless.
I thought of going to Portobello next – a long way on foot – but as I set out I felt faint. I was dehydrated as I had burned up so much of my reserves just keeping warm. I was shattered and tired. Slowly, I made it to the Strand in time to make the food drop from a van provided by a charity called the Simon Community.
When I got there, an old battleaxe of a woman demanded: ‘What are you doing here?’ I said I just wanted a cup of tea but she said I was unwelcome. She had spotted Fiona, my camerawoman, and clearly wanted to provoke a fight. I was still trying to get some tea when two Polish guys came at me from nowhere. Fiona and I were both protected – from a distance – by a close protection security guard, Stuart Cleverley.
Within moments he was by my side, grabbed me by the arm and whisked me away from my argument. Only when we were 30 yards clear did he tell me that one of the men had pulled out a knife and was inches away from stabbing me in the back.
I was scared witless. I had risked leaving my children without a mother for the sake of a TV documentary. I thought about baling out but when I regained my composure, I reasoned this had been an isolated incident and decided to honour the commitment I had made.
