A homeless man who described sleeping rough as getting “harder and harder” is now on the verge of finding his own flat to live in.

David Hills, 46, had previously been camping with all of his possessions outside of the Co-op on North Street and used his dog, Gnasher, to keep himself warm.

Now, after speaking to The Argus about his situation in November, he says that an outpouring of support has resulted in him finding temporary accommodation and he is now on the verge of finding a permanent flat.

David said: “After the newspaper they found me a hotel in Kemp Town for me to stay in for the time being.

“Now I might be able to get a studio flat of my own. It’s a case of when rather than if.”

David, who previously spoke of serving with the royal marines, said that people had been coming up to him on the street and thanking him for his service. He added that he doesn’t like to “use” his service but that it was nice to have people thanking him for it.

Since The Argus last spoke to David, he has been able to secure temporary accommodation in a hotel in Charlotte Street in Kemp Town thanks to the Street Outreach Service in Brighton and Hove.

The Argus: David outside North StreetDavid outside North Street (Image: NQ Staff)

After finding the temporary accommodation, David added that he is now on the verge of moving into his own studio flat after being put in contact with One CIC, a charity which helps homeless people to find housing.

A spokeswoman for Change Grow Live, who run the Street Outreach service, said: “The Change Grow Live Street Outreach Service supports rough sleepers across Brighton and Hove and is on hand to provide people in the area the help they need.

"Our team is committed to doing so, taking into account their wishes and any specific support requirements they may have.  

"If you know of anyone rough sleeping, we’d encourage you to let us know via the Streetlink app. More information can also be found on our Facebook page, or the Change Grow Live website.”

After he has moved into his studio flat, David hopes to be able to set up his own homeless shelter to be able to support young homeless people in Brighton.