Meet the squatters who are popular with the neighbours

Residents in a suburban south London street are petitioning to let squatters stay in the neighbourhood after they set up a weekly free cinema club.

The four squatters took over the five-room terrace house in Mayall Road, Herne Hill, more than a year ago and say they have extensively renovated the property. One of the rooms has been rigged up as a cinema, which groups of neighbours attend every week.

Lambeth Living, which manages the property, has a "zero tolerance" policy on squatting and has started legal proceedings in a bid to remove them.

The council claim the group is depriving needy families of housing.

However, the squatters say that the house had been empty for three years before they moved in and that there are a number of derelict, boarded-up homes in the area.

One of the squatters, who gave his name as Startx, 38, said the group collected a 47-signature petition of support from neighbours. He said: "The people in the street have always been very open to us being here."

Local resident Rob Kerr, a consultant for BT, said: "The overwhelming majority of us want the squatters to stay."