A FORMER homeless man from Worcester who managed to turn his life around fears he has suffered a huge setback after his home was burgled.

Stephen Demspey's laptop computer, containing all his college work, was among the items taken from his home in Astwood Road, Rainbow Hill.

The 27-year-old says he is so shaken by the burglary that he has gone back to sleeping on friends' sofas rather than staying at his home.

Mr Dempsey spent 18 months as one of Britain's estimated 380,000 hidden homeless people sleeping on friends' sofas, in hostels and in bed-and-breakfasts.

The Worcester News reported in September 2005 that he had been awarded a £600 grant from the national charity Crisis as part of its Changing Lives scheme, which provides cash to homeless or vulnerable people so they can `fulfil their potential'.

With the grant, Mr Dempsey was able to buy a laptop to use in his training to become a counsellor. He is currently at Worcester College Of Technology studying on an access to higher education course, which aims to prepare people with no qualifications for university.

He said: "Every bit of my work was on that laptop. I now have absolutely no work whatsoever. My life is starting to revert back to how it was before I got into this accommodation.

"Because of this burglary I may not be able to go to university. I may have to delay it for a further year."

Also stolen during the break-in on Wednesday, April 12, was a PlayStation games console as well as games and DVDs.

Mr Dempsey added that he has been in touch with Crisis and it is now trying to arrange alternative accommodation for him through the city council.

A spokesman for the police said enquiries into the burglary were still continuing.