WHEN Peter Frost's life collapsed two years ago he was left with no wife, no job and no home.

The former construction superintendent was too proud to beg or borrow - and has lived for the past 18 months in a car in the middle of a North Yorkshire forest.

However, things could finally be looking better for the 54-year-old grandfather, with the possibility of work in Ghana, West Africa, or on Ascension Island, in the south Atlantic.

Mr Frost, originally from Cornwall, was divorced from his wife of 27 years four years ago and later, after he finished work on a construction project in Nepal, he found himself jobless and homeless.

His search for work took him around the country and he ended up in North Yorkshire where, in August 2002, he parked up in the Forestry Commission car park at Newgate Bank, north of Helmsley on the North York Moors.

During his time in the car park, he has become known to regular walkers, who have even asked him to look after their car while out rambling.

Forest rangers have become friends - even though he is breaking park regulations - and the police occasionally check on his welfare.

He stopped a gang of youths from setting fire to toilets and his presence in the car park has deterred car crime.

"He has been very helpful to us," said PC Ray Thwaites.

But Mr Frost could soon be leaving his old Ford Escort behind with the two possible jobs abroad, and a third opportunity in Nottinghamshire - and possibly just in time.

A National Park spokesman said: "Our approach with Peter has been one of sympathy, but technically what he is doing is against park by-laws. We want to see the matter resolved in an amicable way."