An Afghanistan war veteran has launched a campaign to make Britain’s first homeless village by housing people in shipping containers.

Darryl Holmes, who served in the British Army between 1998 and 2004, launched a JustGiving crowdfunding appeal after he learnt around 13,000 veterans became homeless after leaving the military.

The 36-year-old, who was deployed to Afghanistan in 2002 before being struck down by multiple sclerosis in 2004, which left him paralysed for four months, said he was fighting for the rights of Britain's war heroes.

Mr Holmes, who also suffers from PTSD, said he hoped to raise £500,000 to accommodate homeless service veterans.

He said: "This is unacceptable and a national travesty; many of our veterans are homeless due to illnesses such as PTSD after serving our country, and not through choice.”

Mr Holmes added that he had come up with what he felt was “an excellent solution to this growing problem”.

"Building a community with shipping containers is a cost effective way to give these veterans not only a shelter, but an avenue to reintegrate effectively back into our society, for which they served many years,” he said.

"This would also give them an address and a postcode so they can seek out work and benefits while getting themselves back on their feet."