A pensioner who was told he faced eviction just weeks after his wife died has now been told he can stay.

Robert Groves, 68, was given six weeks to leave his two bedroom council home in Marden Close, Woodingdean, Brighton.

He had shared the house with his wife Marjorie for 32 years two weeks after she had died.

The council said the father-of-three and grandfather-of-ten only needed one bedroom and there were other families waiting to move in.

But after we reported Mr Groves' plight on August 2, the council re-investigated and have decided to let him stay.

Mr Groves said: "I am very happy and relieved they have changed their minds. I have got my memories all around me in this house, of my dear wife and our family. You cannot just uproot yourself after 32 years.

"The council has admitted to me they made a mistake and I am a bit annoyed about it but I really do not want any more aggravation. When they told me I would have to move it really frightened me.

"Marjorie and I really did love each other and we had a lovely life together. I am really missing her. I plan to bury her ashes in the garden and am waiting to get all my family together to do this."

Mr and Mrs Groves split up for six months in 1981 and divorced. Mr Groves signed over their joint tenancy agreement for the house. They got back together but the tenancy remained in Mrs Groves' name.

Mr Groves gave up work as a taxi driver in 1986 to dedicate his life to looking after his wife, who had become bedridden.

She died aged 60 after years suffering from lupus.

A spokesman for the city council said: "When Mr Groves contacted us to take issue with our notice to quit the house we said we would fully investigate his situation.

"Following our investigation we were pleased to be able to tell him that he will be able to stay in his house.

"He did relinquish his rights to the tenancy in the early Eighties. But we recognise that we have made a mistake in this case through not taking other factors into account and we do not wish to affect his quality of life through this.

"We are sorry for any distress this has caused Mr Groves at what has undoubtedly been a difficult time for him."