A HOMELESS man claims he has been left on the street after spending three days in hospital.

John Johnston, 52, fell and broke his shoulder on Sunday night. He was admitted to Darlington Memorial Hospital yesterday morning and advised to go to Darlington Borough Council's housing staff for help.

But, when he arrived, the housing department was unable to find any accommodation for Mr Johnston, who has been homeless since Easter, despite calling round associations and other housing bodies.

The department gave him a list of private homeowners to contact, but a council spokeswoman said that it had been unable to help him further at the time.

Mr Johnston, who was born in Eldon Lane, near Bishop Auckland, but has lived in Darlington for much of his life, pushes his worldly belongings around in a supermarket trolley.

He says more should have been done to help him. "It's ridiculous dragging that stuff around in the wet," he said.

"I'm going to get pneumonia and I've only been out of hospital two hours."

A hospital spokesman said staff had contacted the town hall and had advised Mr Johnston to go there for help.