A pensioner is refusing to pay the rise in his council tax for a second year after it rose more than his pension did.

Terry Reilly, 67, has cancelled his direct debit to Mid Sussex District Council and says he is prepared to go back to court to fight his case.

In March Mr Reilly, of Maple Close, Burgess Hill, appeared before Haywards Heath Magistrates and was threatened with bailiffs or jail if he did not pay the outstanding £32.15.

He paid £35 court costs and a £35 liability order but has since heard nothing from the council about the outstanding debt.

Mr Reilly said: "After my court appearance I asked the council not to send round the bailiffs and so far there haven't been any."

He has sent the council ten cheques for £108.88, in line with his state pension which has gone up by 3.1 per cent in the last year.

He said: "I have paid what I paid last year plus 3.1 per cent which is the extra the Government has given me. I am withholding the difference to maintain the standard of living for which I have worked hard.

In the past five years the average council tax bill for a Band D property in each of the 13 local authorities in East and West Sussex has risen by at least 50 per cent while the state pension has increased by 22 per cent and inflation by 12.6 per cent.

The tax is collected by the local authority and divided between the county council, police, fire and rescue service and parish or district councils.

Last week The Argus reported how cancer patient Joanne Wilkins, 77, refused to pay her council tax bill.

Mrs Wilkins, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma four years ago, said she was prepared to spend her final days in jail in a bid to make a stand against council tax.

She joins the ever-growing list of rebels who are demanding a rethink of the current system.

Bob Wideman, 69, of Weald View, Staple Cross, said: "I could well be persuaded to take action next year if there is a particularly bad increase again. I really do think we will see more people taking a stand - everybody feels very strongly about it. I hope more people will do something and maybe that way we will see a fairer system."

Rother District Councillor Eric Armstrong, deputy mayor for Bexhill, said: "East Sussex is actually asking people to write to the Government because it's so unfairly funded by the Government.

A spokesman for Mid Sussex District Council said: "If people do not pay their council tax in full this places an increased burden on other council tax payers and this is simply unfair."