They say there's no such thing as a free lunch ... but try telling that to the "Freegans". An army of the night have been proving the old adage wrong by getting lunch from products thrown out by supermarkets.

Reporter ANDY WHELAN joined two dedicated Freegans in the art of dumpster diving to earn his supper.

In an era of bling and designer bags, an anti-materialist underground movement is gaining popularity.

Freegans got their name because what they eat is free and many of them are vegans. They subsist almost entirely on the 17 million tonnes of food thrown into restaurant and supermarket rubbish bins each year.

The movement is international and although its followers purport to live a vegan lifestyle, Freegans will eat meat to prevent it going to waste. Freegans raid the bins of stores at night for food which is mostly a day over its sell-by date or has damaged packaging.

The movement was given its name three years ago by American Adam Weissman and has hundreds of thousands of members worldwide, with about 30,000 in Britain.

Adam Weissman's website definition of a Freegan is someone who "employs alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources".

Lifestyle refuseniks Martin Filla, 36, and Alf Montagu, 31, are unemployed, have no permanent address and little money but neither would change their ways. They have chosen their lifestyle in protest at the waste and greed they see in society.

Martin, from Australia, dropped out of the University of Sydney 15 years ago because he was looking for more meaning in life.

Alf was a high-flying accountant executive in London until 1999, when he became disillusioned with the rat race.

Nowadays, they spend their time working voluntarily and travelling in their camper van up and down the country to meet other Freegans.

Martin said: "Part of the attraction is the freedom to choose how we spend our time. I have not worked for money in 18 years but that does not mean I have not worked. We live simply and only need a little food, clothing and shelter to survive.

"We find huge amounts of food thrown away all the time. Often, if we are helpful to people we are taken care of.

"Some people call it karma."

I met them in their van parked up beside Preston Park in Brighton.

I was sceptical they could survive without spending money but a quick tour of their van suggested otherwise.

Its cupboards were crammed with branded pasta and sauce, tinned food, bread, tea, coffee, cereal, fruit, canned fish and drinks.

The fridge was filled with cheese, milk, vegetables, margarine, yoghurt, burgers, health drinks, sausage rolls and beer.

Virtually everything, except the yoghurt, was still within its use-by date.

Alf said: "We found most of this last night and it's enough to keep us fed for a week.

"We use our common sense to determine whether something is edible.

"Everything we take must be sealed and fresh and we wipe the packaging with a thin layer of bleach.

"The yoghurts are fine to eat because they have so many preservatives so they stay fresh well beyond the date.

"I have only had food poisoning twice in the past five years and that was when somebody bought me food."

Our first point of call was to a wellknown Freegan hotspot which had provided many a meal for Martin and Alf in the past. As people walked by paying us no attention, Alf and Martin led me to Oxford Road at the back of the Somerfield store in Brighton.

There in the damp and dark car park was our target - a bright red metal wheelie bin.

Standing by the foul-smelling bin, Alf hopped inside and started to rummage, finding nothing except rotten fruit, empty cartons and waste paper.

As he continued the search, Martin said: "It looks as though someone has been in here before us. We can see some items outside the bags.

"We came here earlier today to check it wasn't locked up and it was not like that.

"It is a good thing because it shows

people are using it. In some ways a good find is when you come away empty handed because there is no waste there.

"This can be either because supermarkets aren't wasting, which is an exception to the norm, or Freegans have been there before."

Just as I was thinking my scepticism was grounded, Alf proved me wrong.

He found three loaves of bread, some cheese, yoghurt and fruit juice.

Everything except one of the loaves was less than two days over its use-by date. For our non-fussy Freegans this sorted out breakfast and the tins of curry sauce could be kept for another day.

Our next stop, Prestonville Road bins at the back of the Dyke Road Co-op in Brighton was another trusted hunting ground for the pair.

Alf, originally from Kent, said: "The last time we were here we went to the front of the supermarket to buy some red wine as a rare treat.

"Our friend Bob, who remained in the camper van, decided to do some dumpster diving and what did he find but a bottle of red wine?

"When I came out of the shop he was standing proudly by the bin with the bottle.

"When we actually give in to our greed we often make mistakes and learn that we don't need to act so quickly."

I gingerly lifted the wheelie bin lid, holding my breath for the anticipated stench of rotten food.

Alf once again leaped inside and started to rummage.

Shining his pocket torch into the gloom, he tore open numerous plastic bin bags and began handing over his finds to Martin.

Out came dozens of oranges, which looked and felt fresh, and a packet of sausage rolls.

Among the endless vegetables, which Martin said would be fine to eat, was a ready-made sandwich filler and three microwaveable chicken sandwiches, all of which were only one day out of date.

Alf said: "All of this looks like it would be fine to eat once it is given a wash.

"One man's rubbish is another man's treasure.

"It's easy to tell when an orange is off and these clearly aren't.

"The chicken sandwiches will be fine for a couple more days."

So far we had found enough sandwiches to feed all three of us for lunch and the ingredients to make a vegetable curry.

Our final stop, the Texaco garage next to the King Alfred leisure centre in Hove was less successful.

Sneaking down towards the side of the station we found the bins but when we tried to lift the lid they were locked.

Alf explained that shops have become aware of Freegans and are attempting to keep a lid on the situation with locked bins and security patrols.

Back at the camper van, we emptied our shopping bags and concluded there was easily enough in them for all three of us to enjoy breakfast, lunch and supper.

Alf said: "The bins we have shown you are typical but on most outings we would find more.

"I think some of it depends on luck but supermarkets are getting wise to us now and are locking their bins.

"Some bins we have been in are spotless and you can easily find unopened shower gel, shampoo, most things you need."

Then came the moment I was dreading most - eating the food.

After reassurances from Alf and Martin, I tentatively began nibbling at one of the chicken sandwiches.

Soon enough, I had polished off a second chicken sandwich followed by a yoghurt, which was washed down with a beer from the fridge.

And it tasted all the better because it was free.

Although I don't think I could live a full-time Freegan lifestyle, I did take some of the cheese home and have since enjoyed it on toast for breakfast.

Are you a Freegan? Have you ever considered trying it? Tell us your experiences below.