Families are facing a five-year wait for a council house in Brighton and Hove because of a crippling shortage of properties.

There are 3,000 people on the waiting list in Brighton and Hove with 1,000 more expected to join by the end of the year.

A further 1,800 tenants are waiting for transfers to more suitable properties.

But in the past year, fewer than 1,000 properties have become available.

The surge in applications has been triggered by booming property prices inducing private landlords to sell up, which pushes their tenants out.

And, increasingly, more council tenants are buying their homes, reducing the number available to let.

The growing crisis has led to more than 300 people being placed in bed- and-breakfast hotels, while 100 are sleeping on friends' floors or other temporary accommodation.

Some councillors believe the only solution is a radical change to Government policy.

The case of Kelly-Anne Ransome, 24, and her ten-month old son, Logan, is typical of the current climate.

Kelly-Anne was taken off the homeless list in April because she turned down a flat in Whitehawk on the advice of her health visitor who said it was unsuitable.

Since June, she has lived with her mother, stepfather, four brothers and two dogs in a three-bedroom house in Woodingdean.

She joined the housing register in July and was told she might have to wait five years for her own flat.

She said: "I would need at least £1,200 to move into a private rented flat, which I can't afford. Even then, there are very few landlords who will take people on benefits.

"My family all do their best but at weekends it's just impossible with everyone at home. I find myself in tears most of the time.

"All I want is the best for my son but at this rate by the time I've got a house he'll be six years old. I'll have had a nervous breakdown if I have to wait that long."

Councillor Pat Murphy, who was lead councillor for housing management until the post was abolished, said he was not surprised by the waiting list.

He said: "People on low incomes are finding it virtually impossible to get rented accommodation because housing benefit does not meet market rent.

"Even housing association rents are higher than council housing. This can only be resolved by central Government.

"The only way out is to enable housing associations to compulsorily purchase vacant properties across the city.

"It's a radical move but in the four years I've been looking at this situation I believe it's the only one that might work."

When Brighton and Hove Council was created in April 1998, there were 2,400 people on the housing waiting list.

A council spokeswoman said demand for affordable housing far outstripped supply and added: "Unfortunately, because Ms Ransome has only recently registered, she is likely to face a long wait for a property."

In Worthing, 1,914 households were waiting to be housed at the end of September.

In Mid Sussex there were almost 1,500 families on the district council's waiting list.