// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Veteran camps in woods for months waiting for home
Blair Murray has been sleeping in woods near Crook in County Durham for 15 weeks
An Army veteran has spent the last 15 weeks camping in woods while waiting for his social housing application to be processed.
Blair Murray, 44, served more than a decade in the Royal Logistics Corps up to 2010, but was made homeless by a landlord last year and spent months staying with friends before setting up camp in woodland near Crook in County Durham.
Murray said he had lined up a job and arranged to start counselling sessions, but both were being held up by his lack of a home.
Since the BBC got in touch with Durham County Council, homeless prevention manager Christopher Hepworth said the authority had worked with the Armed Forces Outreach Service and booked him into a Travelodge.
Hepworth said: "We will continue to work with him to secure suitable, stable, long-term accommodation."
In the most recent survey carried out by the Office for Veterans' Affairs, one in 400 ex-service personnel reported they were homeless or sleeping rough.
Murray was preparing to spend the winter sleeping rough before a hotel room was found for him
Murray's time in the Army included tours to Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and the Falklands.
He admitted life had often been "a bit of a struggle" as he tried to transition to civilian life.