A church minister says empty properties in Brighton and Hove should be used as legalised squats for rough sleepers in winter.

Christmas is a timely reminder for those of us with warm homes and families that many of our neighbours are not so fortunate.

The sight of a dark shape lying huddled in a shop doorway on a freezing night remains a shocking image on the streets of Brighton and Hove.

But homelessness is not limited to a single season and rough sleepers are merely the most visual aspect.

For every person sleeping on the streets there are many more hidden from the public eye every day of the year.

Earlier this month, Government figures showed there were only six rough sleepers on the city's streets, compared with 44 three years ago.

Many of those working with the homeless in the city have criticised the criteria used to record those living rough and insisted such figures hide the true scale.

Free church minister David Pavitt believes one solution would be to turn empty properties across Brighton and Hove into legalised squats.

Mr Pavitt, who runs the Crossover church project for the homeless, said there was a desperate need to provide temporary housing for rough sleepers.

He wants the city council and private landlords to allow homeless people to move into empty flats and warehouses on a three-month basis.

Mr Pavitt said: "It's so cold out there at the moment, it's the worst time of year to be sleeping rough. Christmas is a time when we should be getting together as a community.

"There are so many empty properties across the city such as flats above shops. As a temporary measure they could be used by people who simply need a roof over their heads."

Mr Pavitt, one of the ministers based at the Christian Outreach Centre in Portslade, set up Crossover with his wife Pam four years ago.

His team of volunteers provides a hot meal to more than 100 homeless people at Gloucester Place Baptist Church in Brighton every Saturday.

A recent survey carried out by Crossover questioned 57 people using its services, of which 27 were rough sleepers, eight were living in squats while the rest were staying in hostels or bed and breakfast accommodation.

Mr Pavitt said there was almost nowhere for rough sleepers to go since the temporary nightshelter in Lennox Street, Kemp Town, closed last year.

This is compounded by new council rules which require rough sleepers to prove they have good reason to live in the city in order to be housed, leaving those with no local connection outside the system.

He suggested legalised squats could be opened if a landlord entered into an agreement for homeless people to live on the property for a limited period.

A waiver could be signed by those using the property to absolve the landlord of responsibility.

He added: "The trouble is all the red tape. The council has so many regulations it makes the whole thing impossible. I understand they have a responsibility. There would be lots of difficulties and it would need some very creative thinking but these guys need our help."

But the idea of turning empty properties into legalised squats has been criticised by other organisations which work with the homeless.

Jenny Backwell, director of Brighton Housing Trust, said the main task facing the council was to provide decent, safe and affordable housing as part of a long-term solution to homelessness.

She said: "A few years ago there were a number of properties in the city which had been empty for a substantial period of time but there are very few places left now which we don't know about.

"Many of these are privately owned so we cannot just take them over and of those which could be used, it would be far better to do them up and make them into proper homes rather than turn them into squats."

St Patrick's Trust, a night shelter for the homeless in Hove, is one of the only places in the city which accepts rough sleepers off the street and quickly fills its beds every night.

The trust also operates a hostel for 29 homeless people on rehabilitation schemes and provides community housing projects and education programmes.

Stephen Sharpe, trust chief executive, agreed there was a need to offer temporary shelter to rough sleepers during winter.

He said: "But it's not just a Christmas problem. We really need to focus on homeless needs throughout the year."

A spokeswoman for homeless services at the city council said: "There are very few places which are empty for no reason.

"If we hear about an empty property we will pursue the landlord and inform them of the things they need to do to bring the property back into use. There are also important health and safety regulations involved with housing."

"The idea of shoving loads of vulnerable people into an empty flat or warehouse with no support makes my toes curl."