A TELEVISION personality has called for Herefordshire Council to give a former SAS hero a council house immediately.

Bob Curry, 63, who is currently homeless and living in a B&B paid for by charity, appeared on ITV's This Morning today co-hosted by Piers Morgan.

A petition urging Herefordshire County Council 'to find suitable, permanent accommodation for Bob' has been signed over 288,000 times since his story appeared on the front page of The Sun newspaper on Thursday.

Mr Morgan, said that Mr Curry had been on the housing list since last November with no idea of when he will have a permanent roof over his head.

The television programme stated that Mr Curry was known as 'backdoor Bob' for his courage in the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege.

Bob used a sledge hammer to smash through a window after an explosive failed to detonate. This Morning said that it was this 'brave action' that allowed the SAS to storm the building and rescue 19 hostages inside.

The television programme said that after leaving the regiment Bob set-up his own business training ex-servicemen as locks smiths. However, the collapse of his business and relationship left Mr Curry homeless.

"This seems awful to me, there you were taking part in one of the great raids that the British army has ever executed and yet one of the terrorists in that embassy is now living in a nice and comfortable British council house, and you one of the SAS sent in to try and save people from these guys don't have one," said Mr Morgan.

"It's absolutely disgusting. There is a statement from the council but I can't be bothered to read it. Here is the reality Herefordshire Council, this guy is a national hero and is homeless because you have not seen fit to take care of him.

"Rather then issuing statements to us why don't you do your jobs and give this guy a proper council house right now today? To show this country values what he did that day alone should justify them being taken care of for the rest of their lives, not selling their medals and living on park benches.

"It is irrepressible

Mr Curry said at one stage he was placed in a hostel where he had to ask permission to use the toilet and was 'escorted' to the toilet.

"I had a limited company from 1989 until August with the MOD and it collapsed, said Mr Curry.

"MOD pulled the contract, not through my fault and it just snowballed from there. Relationships break down and it went wrong from there. There I am homeless on the streets and it went from bad to worse."

Mr Curry said that he sold his medals for £20,000 which went into the business.

"Selling my medals was heart breaking because I was awarded them by this great country we live in and defend, added Mr Curry.

"There are 13,000 veterans living on the streets in this country, they were normal people going into the military and when they've come out they've got all sorts of problems.

"We owe veterans a debt of gratitude. We have had a constant battle with the council and it wasn't until the ex-Mayor of Hereford Jim Kenyon stepped in and started asking questions.

"And then the campaign that has obviously happened and since that everything is happening, but to this day I haven't got anywhere to live. The B&B is paid by the British Legion or I would be sleeping in my car or on a park bench."

In response Herefordshire Council said: "Herefordshire Council ensures that no member of the Armed Forces community faces disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen.

"As part of the council’s commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, ex-members of the Armed Forces receive additional assistance to aid their position on the social housing waiting list, which should speed up an offer of securing appropriate housing.

"We work to find suitable accommodation for any applicant that requires it and recommend that any individual requiring support of this nature, provides all the necessary details requested, so we can process and provide support in a timely manner.

"There is more information about our commitment to supporting the Armed Forces in Herefordshire on the council's website."