Couple moving into a bus to beat council house waiting list

An unemployed father is moving his family into a bus which is currently stored in a garage in Brighton.

Arthur Sharp, 39, bought the bus on eBay, the auction website, for £2,000 and is now converting it into a four-bedroom home.

He and his partner Lisa Luke, 37, asked Croydon Council for a bigger home for their family – they have five children between them – but were told they faced a six-year wait.

So they bought the bus and plan to move out of their three-bedroom flat to the coast, staying on private land with friends in places like Shoreham and Steyning.

The couple, from Coulsdon, South London, have already converted the upper deck of the Bristol bus into three bedrooms with bunk beds for their sons Albert, 12, Arthur 4, and Kenny, 2.

The boys are looking forward to moving into their new home in about six months’ time. Mr Sharp’s daughter Lauren, 16, from a previous relationship and Miss Luke’s daughter Jodie, 16, also from a previous relationship, have some reservations. They are expected to visit their parents once they hit the road.

The couple have stored the bus in Brighton while they ensure that it is roadworthy and complete the makeover.

Mr Sharp, a former coach driver, has emphysema and hopes that the fresh air near the sea will help him become well enough to work again.

Eventually, he and Miss Luke hope to settle in the West Country.