Jamie Rawlings and Roxey Acott call the former Maidstone library home

It once housed Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

Now Maidstone’s old library is home to a changing population of between 15 and 20 squatters.

The empty building next to the adult education centre in Maidstone town centre has been adopted by some of the town's homeless.

First in were Jamie Rawlings, 17, and Roxey Acott, 19, who say they spotted an insecure window at the back of the St Faith's Street property and took advantage.

Jamie said: "We did no damage. We didn't have to break in."

Inside they found a paradise for squatters, with both running water and the electricity still on.

The pair quickly spread the word to others who might need help and were joined by more than a dozen people who needed somewhere to shelter.

Roxey moved to Maidstone from London where she has been living in a variety of squats since leaving home at 14.

Jamie has also been living in squats since leaving his home in Twydall, Rainham, last year.

He admitted he could go back home to his mother's house, but said he preferred not to as she had a new boyfriend.

Both insist they are doing nothing wrong, simply putting to good use a building which Kent County Council has left empty since April last year when the books were transferred to the new History and Library Centre at Springfield.

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