A FORMER soldier is living under canvas with his wife after they lost their home because they ran up £2,500 rent arrears.

Kevin Howe, 45, who said he was now too ill to work, said he and wife, Susan, 39, will camp out beside the River Tees at Barnard Castle, County Durham, until they are offered a new home.

Mr Howe, who suffers from epilepsy, served in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.

He said that after they spent several nights in the open air, a friend loaned them a tent.

The couple are living in squalid conditions and are using a log fire to cook meals.

Last night, the campsite was littered with empty lager cans and bed linen was hanging out to air on a makeshift washing line.

Mr Howe, who served nine years in the 3rd Battalion Light Infantry, said: "It is very unfair that I am having to live like this after regularly risking my life while serving my country."

He later worked as a postman and as a range warden but, between bouts of his epilepsy, his general health deteriorated until he could no longer hold down a job.

The couple were evicted by Home Housing from their home in Zetland Road, Barnard Castle, for owing £2,500 in rent. They were given a temporary house for four weeks by Teesdale District Council to allow them time to find accommodation, but they failed to do so.

Mr Howe said: "I thought we would qualify for housing benefit to pay the rent, but by the time this was refused, the arrears had built up and we had no hope of paying."

Mrs Howe said: "Friends and relatives put us up for some weeks. But, eventually we had to move on to the riverbank. It is dreadful but we will have to stay here until something turns up."

A spokesman for Home Housing said: "We cannot discuss individual cases in which tenants are evicted."

Geoff Proudlock, the housing manager for the district council, said: "We are discussing this couple with social services to see if we can offer them a house under licence, with special arrangements to ensure the rent is paid."