A vociferous defender of social housing has used a controversial right-to-buy scheme to sell his council house.

Dave Barnard is a leading figure in the fight to keep Brighton and Hove's 13,000 council properties under local authority control.

But despite his strong beliefs, he says he had no option but to sell his flat in Goodwood Way, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, to a private company after suffering years of abuse at the hands of yobs.

He was left homeless and spent a large slice of the £8,000 he received from the deal on temporary accommodation until he was rehoused.

The 71-year-old grandfather, who does not want his new address revealed, had been so desperate he even bought a tent and planned to sleep in a park rather than go home and face intimidation and threats.

Mr Barnard has worked as a volunteer in Moulsecoomb for more than 40 years and been a representative for the Moulsecoomb East Social Activities' and Tenants' Association (Mesata) for 20.

He said: "For the past five years my life has been hell. I was so distressed I'd become ill. I couldn't see my position changing.

"I would never have given up my flat - it was my home and had been for 22 years - but I couldn't go on living there.

"I would stay at friends' places until late into the night rather than go home.

"I remain totally opposed to the council selling off its housing wholesale for private companies to manage. It belongs to the people and they have no right to jeopardise the future of affordable housing.

"Where are the young people growing up on the estates going to live? I'm not against individuals selling if they want to make sure they have security for them and their children.

"But this isn't about me exercising my right-to-buy. It's a bigger issue. This loophole should not exist."

Council tenants have the right to buy their homes after two years.

The longer they have lived in a property, the more of a discount they receive on the market value. Mr Barnard had the maximum £38,000 discount.

Private investors have seized on the Tory-devised scheme and approached tenants across the city who cannot afford to buy.

Using the loophole, investment companies buy properties from the council on behalf of tenants, using their discount.

Tenants are given a cash bonus and the company gets cheap properties to sell or rent.

Brighton and Hove City Council wants the Government to close the loophole because it has meant more homes falling into the hands of private landlords, whose rents are far higher than in the social sector.

Mesata secretary Derek Lewry said: "I do not believe Dave has done anything wrong.

"He has been really tormented for the last four years, his health has suffered and he could not go back into that flat.

"He took the only option open to him. The only people who have failed in this are the council officers who he complained to."

A council spokes-man said: "We were aware from this process that he was elderly and in poor health. We were then informed by his doctor if Mr Barnard didn't find accommodation, he risked being hospitalised.

"Mr Barnard made it clear he would be willing to consider any property anywhere in the city. On this basis it wasn't long before we were able to offer him a bedsit."