THE homeless lovebirds dividing opinion have told how they found love on the streets in Brighton.

Yesterday we reported how businesses are confused as to why a family-sized tent on their street has not been moved.

The tent in Duke Street is the abode of lovebirds Kieran Spiteri, 34, and Bernice Howley, 41, who have been living there for more than three months.

The couple rely on the generosity of shops in the street who provide them with hot chocolate, a place to wash, toilets, and electricity.

Some businesses are not happy with the street’s newest residents but they have described how they plan to get a home and be married.

KIERAN and Bernice might not have a house, but they certainly have a home.

Bernice, who has been living on the streets since she was 15, said: “I’m 41 years of age and he is my first true love”.

Smiling at her partner of a year she adds: “And do you know what? I quite like living in this tent with him.”

Like many other couples across the city, they spend many nights watching films, cuddling with each other on the sofa that Kieran calls “the cotton bud”.

They met four years have through friends and have recently celebrated their first anniversary.

The couple said they have found most things in their home including the two-seater sofa, rug, and double mattress.

The tent itself was donated by a woman who took pity on them after seeing the state of their previous tent, which was destroyed by drunks in town.

Bernice said: “People on the weekend thank it’s very funny to jump on our tent and break the poles.

“I’ve been in the tent three times when this has happened, and I still remember the shock of what was happening and screaming for Kieran to come and help me – luckily he was nearby.

Their current tent is their fifth, the others were trashed by partygoers who were looking for a laugh on a night out.

Kieran said: “If someone wants to have a laugh at our expense that’s fine.

“But we don’t have much.

“So don’t destroy the little that we do.”

Kieran used to enjoy his job as a ground worker but had a psychotic episode in November last year and had to leave, he said.

Bernice says they have been told they can stay if they keep their area clean, put their rubbish in the bin and are not rude to the locals.

The pair have been moved multiple times but keep returning to Duke Street and have spent most of their time there in the last four months.

Bernice said: “The only complaint we’ve had was when one of our associates was shouting at his dad on the phone.

“When that happened all of the shopkeepers came out but that was about it.”

Kieran said: “We get moved on a lot more in local parks than we do here, maybe about three or four times overall.

“We’ve had a mixed reception, people find it amusing, some support it, and others want us to move.”

They have struggled to find a house for months and say they are “playing a waiting game”.

They do not have enough money to move into a house and are hoping the council will be able to provide them with a more permanent home.

The couple say that as soon as they are housed, they will get married and begin their lives again as Mr and Mrs Spiteri.

Kieran said: “People can think what they like about our tent but keeping a roof over Bernice’s head is the most important thing to me. I love her.”