Housing officials have backtracked on a legal code after labelling a grieving husband a "tolerated trespasser" in his own home.

Brighton and Hove City Council told Terry Pemberton to leave his home when his wife Margaret died earlier this year, even though he had lived there with her for almost 30 years.

The four-bedroom property in Colbourne Avenue, Moulsecoomb, Brighton, was passed on through his in-laws and city legislation meant it always remained in his wife's name.

The Argus reported a week ago how housing officers changed their mind and allowed Mr Pemberton to stay until they found him a new flat but sent him a new rent book with the term "Tolerated Trespasser" in place of his name.

At the time the council insisted they had to use the phrase for legal reasons.

Now they have admitted the term should no longer be used in case it offends people as it did Mr Pemberton.

A council spokesman said: "We will not use the term tolerated trespasser in rent books in future. This is to make sure nobody takes offence to this term."

Mr Pemberton said he was delighted he had won his fight to stop housing chiefs using the term.

He said: "Every time a letter dropped through the door addressed to tolerated trespasser it was very hurtful.

"The way the council have treated me is disgusting.

"I only lost my wife in January and being called a trespasser in my own home is horrible.

"I'm going to march round the council offices on Monday and get them to put my proper name back on my rent book."

Mr and Mrs Pemberton were weeks away from their silver anniversary in September last year when Margaret was taken ill.

She died months later at the age of 53.

They had moved into the house 28 years ago to look after Margaret's parents.

When they died, the house was transferred to Mrs Pemberton.

The couple lived there ever since. They brought up their son Lee, now 24, in the house and considered it their own.

Ian Hills, of the UK Independence Party, wrote to the council's senior housing officer Clive Brian to voice Mr Pemberton's disgust.

In a letter, Mr Brian replied: "In future we will not use the term tolerated trespasser on payment books even though it is an acceptable legal term."

Report by Pete Samson