Man and his dog in winter protest

Homeless John Durrant threatens to sleep out over winter in protest

A homeless man is threatening to spend the winter on Mousehold Heath in protest at Norwich City Council's refusal to give him an empty house.

John Durrant says housing officers will not let him and his dog move into one of the city's many empty homes.

Since June he has been living on the heath, which was a stronghold for anti-authority rebels in medieval times.

At the beginning of summer he left his council-funded bed and breakfast and says he will camp out over the winter.

Waiting list

"There are so many empty properties in and around Norwich that have been left to be vandalised, so why can't we be given one of them?" he asked.

But Norwich City Council is adamant in its refusal.

Councillor Hereward Cooke said: "I'm afraid it's a very easy case to take that we've got empty houses and he can fill them.

"But we've already got 3,000 people on our waiting lists."

Now, unless Mr Durrant accepts the council offer of a dog-free bed and breakfast, he could be spending the winter on the heath.