Pensioner Stan Smith, whose defiance held up the closure of an old people's home, has died.

Mr Smith, who was 81, refused to budge when West Sussex County Council voted to shut Nyewood House, Bognor, in 1999.

He became the last resident of the home and spent 220 days fighting all attempts to persuade him to move to alternative accommodation.

His one-man stand ended in April, when he agreed to leave after a county court judge ruled the council was entitled to take possession of his room.

But his campaign won him many tributes from people in the town who were bitterly opposed to the closure of the now boarded-up home, which is expected to be sold for housing.

Today former Bognor mayor Sylvia Olliver, who fought the closure, said: "I am terribly sad to hear that Stan has died.

"He was standing up for the rights of older people and to have gone on for all that time as the only resident was extremely brave."

Mr Smith's family said he died "peacefully after a long illness, bravely borne".

We reported in April how Mr Smith ended his battle to save Nyewood House from closure after walking out of the home with his head held high.

He stopped at the front door to wave to his supporters and then shouted: "They'll never defeat the British. Don't forget it."

He had faced eviction after defying the council's efforts to shut the building in Hawthorn Road, his home for 14 years.

His legal team failed to overturn a possession order for his room.

Today Mr Smith's brother Cliff said: "I want to emphasise that the home Stan moved to really looked after him and I cannot fault them."

His funeral will take place tomorrow at St Mary's Church, Felpham, near Bognor. The family has asked people not to send flowers but to make a donation instead to the Cancer Research Campaign.