A "mischievous" bid for money has landed a Norfolk council £1.2m to help buy homes to provide temporary housing for people with nowhere to live.

The government boost means Breckland Council will be able to acquire 10 properties to serve as temporary accommodation for people at risk of homelessness and for refugees from Afghanistan.

There are currently 130 households across Breckland living in temporary accommodation while their needs are assessed and permanent housing identified.

Fifty are in properties owned by the Conservative-controlled council, but 80 are in bed and breakfasts or other properties the authority pays a nightly rate for.

That can cost more than £100 per night, so the authority would rather house people in properties it owns.

Sarah Suggitt, deputy leader at Breckand Council and executive member for housing and planning, said: "Due to underspending in central government in the Local Authority Housing Fund, we took the opportunity to submit a second bid, having already received funding previously.

"This was a little mischievous on our part, but it perfectly represents the tireless work Breckland Council is known for in campaigning nationally to provide the best support and services we can locally by bringing national funding to local delivery.

"This investment is a critical step forward in our mission to ensure vulnerable individuals and families in Breckland have access to the housing they need.

"We are committed to making sure no one is left behind in our community, and this initiative demonstrates our continued dedication to that goal."

READ MORE: Clare House in Diss bought by council to stop homelessness

The cost of acquiring the 10 properties will be £2.8m, with the council matching the money from the government and adding a further contribution from developers.

The council will now identify homes across the district to buy, with eight to be used for temporary / emergency housing and two to house refugees who fled the conflict in Afghanistan.

The council currently uses Michael Monument Court in Dereham and at Elm House in Thetford to provide temporary housing and, last year, bought 11 further properties in the two towns.