An urban explorer has left TikTok users creeped out after discovering an entire abandoned housing estate, where belongings and furniture had been left to rot.
Sean Piper, from Kent, England, discovered the estate after researching it online, and has described it as looking “like the end of the world”.
Located in Woolwich, South East London, there are 172 dwellings in total, spread across 16 blocks of flats.
Sharing a clip of this to his TikTok (@forbidden.places), the video garnered over 522,000 views.
“Walking around the estate was a very eerie experience,” Sean told NeedToKnow.co.uk .
“It reminded me of scary films like ‘28 days later’ or even video games like the last of us or resident evil.
“The estate has been abandoned since 2010, it took the Greenwich council a year to move everyone out.
“They gradually started offering one off payments to residents, as well as reduced rent rated in new build apartments.
“The plan was to demolish the buildings and build new luxury apartments, 165 in total to be built.
“To be a mix of private and council flats.”
However, plans hit a standstill and, following a fire in one of the flats in March 2023, the buildings have since been fenced off and set for demolition.
He added: “The flats have been sat empty and open to the elements and for people to explore.
“Many residents took the moving opportunity to have a clear out of possessions, many things were left inside, kids toys, televisions and shoes and clothes and even a couple that were fully furnished still.”
Upon visiting the area, Sean felt as though he had gone back in time, and got a creepy feeling from the beginning.
He said: “It wasn’t fenced off when I went and even the car parks were very derelict looking, the lamp posts had smashed lights, it was a ghost town.
“The properties were almost all open, either by a door or window.
“They were metal sheeted so very dark inside, walking around inside with a torch provided a creepy atmosphere.
“Some of the flats were fire damaged and had signs of squatters inside, dirty mattresses on the floor, bags full of old beer bottles and cigarette butts, needles on the floor.
“Some of them were relatively clean and I just was surprised by how much belongings people decided to leave.”
For the five hours he was there, Sean even found a fully furnished bedroom, a completed living room in another, and a stocked kitchen.
He added: “The blocks were parallel to each other with walkways connecting them, so at one point I was in a courtyard surrounded by four derelict blocks, nothing active was in site.
“It was like the end of the world.
“While exploring I also come across antisocial behaviour, needles, homeless squatters and other urban explorers.”
Posting a video on his exploration on TikTok, he gathered over 11,600 likes and hundreds of comments.
The clip was captioned: “The best things I’ve found in the abandoned housing estate,” and showed a panoramic view of the estate, revealing the old, rotting, buildings.
He firstly shows an untouched bedroom, with a mattress, bedding, clothing, and furniture, before revealing an old record player, hidden in a broken cabinet.
Karen said: “With so much homelessness, why are these properties empty.”
Abi commented: “Such a waste, it’s going to be knocked down turned in to more expensive houses that not built to last.” [sic]
Brenden wrote: “Untouched bedrooms but plants still alive and intact.”
Claire added: “Think of all the people that are desperate for housing and this is left.”
Stan said: “Strange to think of the life that whole place held.”
“Love that record player,” commented Ben.
“So sad… peoples memories left behind,” added another user. [sic]
“This breaks my heart! We are about to be homeless, such a waste,” wrote Claire.
