The real number of rough sleepers could be ten times higher than the government figure - because officials are only counting people they see lying down as homeless.

Worthing Borough Council surprised charity workers by claiming just three people were sleeping rough.

But the opposition Liberal Democrats claimed last night the figure - based on national guidelines - does not include people who are merely slouched in doorways as opposed to asleep or "bedded down".

Alan Rice, the Lib Dem's shadow cabinet member for housing, told The Argus there were nearer 35 people who sleep without a roof over their head.

Coun Rice's claim comes after he joined the Worthing Churches Homeless Projects on a recent sleep-out.

He said: "As I understand it, if someone is sitting up in a doorway, rather than lying down asleep, they are not counted.

"But, whether the figure is three or 33, we as a council should be doing our utmost to ensure that every one of these people have somewhere to sleep whatever their circumstances."

Wendy Knight, of Worthing council, said the rough sleeper count was conducted following strict Government guidelines.

These give a national definition of rough sleeping as "people sleeping or bedded down, in the open air (such as on the streets, or in doorways, parks or bus shelters)".

It also classifies "people in buildings or other places not designed for habitation, such as barns, sheds, car parks, cars, derelict boats or stations" as rough sleepers.

Mrs Knight said: "People perceive the homeless as living on the streets. The official number of rough sleepers is three, but we have 74 people registered as being temporary homeless as of December."

She went on: "It doesn't represent everyone though and obviously there are the hidden homeless, such as sofa surfers, which we don't know about."

Worthing Borough Council is due to hold a new rough sleeper count in May.

Sue Stevens, from Worthing Churches Homeless Projects, said any count of rough sleepers would only give a snapshot of the problem.

She said: "It is done at the same time each year and the aim is to compare the figures each year.

"The number of rough sleepers was higher last year and in the past the number of rough sleepers in Worthing has been as high as 14.

"It is hard to say how many rough sleepers there are though as not all homeless people live on the streets.

"At the centre we get about 30 people every day on average for breakfast but they are not all rough sleepers.

"I think people are aware of the problem but not how easy it is to become homeless. It can happen to anyone at any time."

Do you think there are more than three rough sleepers in the streets of Worthing? Join the debate at theargus.co.uk/news