A woman has set up camp in a park with all her furniture and belongings after she was evicted from her home.

Yvette Milazzo left her bed because it could not fit down the stairs but the majority of her furniture joined her, her dog Lupino, Rosie the bird and her four cats under the stars last night.

Ms Milazzo was yesterday evicted from her home of three years.

Instead of finding alternative accommodation, she has set up her house in the open air nearby.

Ms Milazzo, 57, admits withholding her rent for the lodge residence at Buxted Park near Uckfield.

However, she claims the property was not fit to live in. She said she has always used the toilet in the nearby Tesco because hers is collapsing.

Following an inspection, Wealden District Council environmental health officer Rebecca Hele noted in May that certain defects required "urgent attention".

The officer said the dwelling was not fit for human habitation under the standard set out in the Housing Act 1985.

However, Ms Milazzo was ordered to leave her home after a county court battle between her and the owners of the lodge, Buxted Park Hotel.

Moving her furniture into the grounds of the park yesterday before the bailiffs' arrival, Ms Milazzo was in a defiant mood.

She said: "They are coming to change the locks. But I am making a protest and moving my things into the park.

"This is not a sad story. I am going to take every day as it comes.

"I could go into bed and breakfast accommodation but I could not take my animals."

Ms Milazzo, who is diabetic, was creating a new bed from her old mattress and erecting tarpaulin for shelter.

She said she intended staying at least a week while she decided what to do next.

Stephen Towers, the Buxted Park Hotel's general manager, said: "We have tried to be as understanding as possible because we understand she had had some personal difficulties.

"We have taken a long time to go through the process. This has been going on for a year.

"We are sorry the situation has developed but we understand she has been offered alternative accommodation. Now is the time to bring matters to a head."

In a statement to Lewes County Court, the hotel's property and maintenance manager Guy Cherry said Ms Milazzo was £3,925 in rent arrears.

He said under the terms of the tenancy agreement she should have reported any defects to the landlord or letting agent.

Ms Milazzo agreed she did not mention any of the problems until after legal proceedings had started against her.