Cancer Victim Tom Crawford Has Bank Attempt To Seize Paid Off Home, 200 Strangers Show Up In Protest [Video]


A cancer victim named Tom Crawford had a bank attempt to seize his home although the 63-year-old man says he had already paid off his mortgage. When the senior citizen made an appeal for help on YouTube, over 200 strangers showed up at his in order to protest the bailiffs attempting to evict the man.

In a related report by The Inquisitr, Mr. Crawford was supported by people wearing Guy Fawkes masks and waving the Anonymous flag:

“Crawford and his wife took out a £41,000 mortgage — which at today’s rates would be about about $70,000 — in 1988, so they could buy the bungalow. Crawford says he finally paid off the mortgage at the end of last year. But the bank says he didn’t. In fact, the Bradford & Bingley bank says they have no record of the mortgage — and that Crawford still owes the bank £43,000.”

Crawford posted an 11-minute YouTube video asking for help from anyone willing to give it, and he even promised a “lovely cup of tea” to anyone who showed up. The response was bigger than he expected:

“I can’t believe that people have come from all over the country to support me,” a stunned Tom Crawford said on Wednesday. “It’s really overwhelming and I really didn’t expect it. This is something I feel very passionate about — I’ve been here more than 25 years and have brought three children up here. I’ve worked hard all my life. This is just devastating.”

The bailiffs gave up trying to evict Crawford after a 90-minute standoff and UK Asset Resolution Limited, speaking on behalf of the now-defunct Bradford and Bingley bank, said the eviction did not take place on Wednesday due to safety concerns. But the bank is unlikely to give up and the cancer victim says he will continue battling the bank for the right to his home:

“The family is feeling more secure today than this time last week and we were absolutely thrilled with the turnout on Wednesday. But we’ve got to carry on the fight.”

Speaking to reporters at the Nottingham Post on Saturday, Crawford also says there are other people in similar situations and he is hoping the same group of strangers will show up to battle the banks:

“It’s not just me and my family that are suffering. Thousands of people have their homes re-possessed, despite being hard-working people. If I get told again that I’m going to be evicted then I’ll be prepared for them again. They should be prepared for the people who have helped us, as I’m sure they will continue to do so.”

In America, years ago it was claimed there was a ratio of around six or seven vacant houses to every homeless person in the United States. Europe is apparently not too different, with reports from earlier this year saying that over 11 million homes lie empty throughout the continent and 700,000 in England, which is where Crawford resides. To put this in perspective, England’s population currently numbers around 53 million, which means there are enough empty homes for 1.3 percent of the entire British population.

What do you think about the bank that has attempted to seize the home of a cancer victim over an apparent mix up due to the mortgage paperwork?

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