A judge is to set up a courtroom inside a residential home to decide if a frail 80-year-old man should be evicted.

Judge John Sessions will travel to Nyewood House in Bognor for a hearing within the next 14 days.

He decided to take the action after learning campaigning pensioner Stan Smith was too ill to travel to the courtroom.

Mr Smith is the last remaining resident of Nyewood House, where he has lived for 14 years and is contesting a West Sussex County Council application to evict him.

The council wants to close the home, saying it is uneconomical. The other 50 residents have accepted alternative accommodation.

Last night, Judge Sessions was praised for his "humanity" by Mr Smith's brother, Clifford.

He said: "I think, apart from getting the eviction quashed, this is the best result we could have had.

"The humanity of the judge came over loud and clear and I think the fact he will see the environment at Nyewood House for himself could make a difference because it is not a run-down place."

Judge Sessions suggested taking the court to the home during an application for an adjournment of the eviction proceedings made by Mr Smith's solicitor, Robin Parslow.

The judge said a hearing would probably take place at the end of his normal sitting at Chichester Crown Court.

He said: "Mr Smith is 80 years old and frail. He has no absolute right to be in court but on the other hand the present claim bears very intimately on his well-being. I think in the common humanity of justice he deserves an opportunity to hear what is being said and to hear the decision first hand."

West Sussex County Council lawyer Kelvin Rutledge had opposed the adjournment of the application. He said if the eviction was granted the order would not be enforced immediately but would take place within seven days. He said: "Mr Smith is the last resident of the home and that requires the provision of staff, meals and night security and it is therefore the county council's view the matter should be dealt with now."

Mr Parslow said the adjournment would give more time to prepare a defence on Mr Smith's behalf and said the case was being viewed with a "degree of outrage".

Mr Smith insists he will not move.

Before the hearing, supporters of Mr Smith's campaign tied placards to trees and pillars outside the home, protesting at the county council's action.