Iranian Embassy siege hostage Trevor Lock tells council to home SAS hero
Trevor Lock was just one of the hostages to be saved from the six day siege in 1980
A HERO hostage who survived the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege today backed The Sun's call to find SAS veteran Bob Curry a home.
Ex-cop Trevor Lock said the council needed to "sort" it out after Mr Curry was found to be living in a B&B after falling on hard times.
Speaking from his home this morning, the 78-year-old told The Sun Online: "I'm very sad for him.
"He was the best of the best, and is now on that level.
"It needs to be sorted."
Mr Lock was also hailed as a hero after the six-day siege, and was awarded the George Medal for his actions.
He had been guarding the embassy on the day the terrorists took control of it, in his role in the diplomatic protection corp.
After concealing his gun for six days, he pulled out the weapon and pinned down one of the terrorists as the SAS including Bob smashed through the windows in televised images that gripped the world.
Since the siege, Mr Lock has kept a low profile, avoiding publicity, but spoke with sadness today about Bob's plight.
"I'm so sad he's ended up in that position," he said.
"Any military person doesn't deserve to be homeless, that's how I feel."
He added that while he was still plagued by memories of the siege, he had happily settled back into life - and hoped that Bob would be able to as well.
He said: "He's more likely to have been through many adventures, I went through just one adventure with him. I would like him to be sorted."
Trevor is just one to throw his support behind Bob, with Col Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, saying: “He should go to the front of the queue for council housing right now.
“He’s risked his life for this country — given a huge amount to defending her citizens.”
It comes after Bob himself, who helped free 19 hostages in London, spoke out, warning: “This can happen to any veteran.”
The hero told of his despair at facing life on the streets - broke and homeless after decades of service to his country.
“It was as if the society I had fought for all my life had turned its back on me.”
He is temporarily in a B&B, paid for by charity handouts, because his local council says it cannot find him a home.
Herefordshire County Council told him in November to fill in forms for a council house to see if he fitted criteria. He is still waiting.
The only place they could offer was a hostel containing ex-crooks, drug addicts and people with mental problems.
But Bob could only cope there for two nights. He said: “I was sleeping on a sofa in my daughter’s rental house for all of December.”
He swallowed his pride and asked the Royal British Legion and SAS Regimental Association. if they could help.
They found B&B accommodation in Hereford but only for 28 days. Bob joined the Army as a boy soldier aged 15½ in 1968 before joining the SAS in 1979.
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He left in 1985 and later worked for then Harrods owner Mohammed Fayed and guarded son Dodi.
Bob stressed: “A lot of veterans struggle and need help and they are not getting it.”
Herefordshire county council said: “We are continuing to work with the individual to help them secure appropriate housing.”