The highest paid council chief executive in the country has revealed he was once a homeless teenager.

Peter Gilroy, the chief executive of Kent County Council, spent nine months living in hostels after becoming homeless when his family died suddenly when he was 15.

Last year he earned £229,999, more than any other council boss in the country, and more than the prime minister.

He made the revelation about his early life in a speech given last night at the launch of Porchlight, the new name for homeless charity East Kent Cyrenians.

In an exclusive interview with Kent Online, Mr Gilroy talked openly about his experience.

Asked how he felt as a 15-year-old with no home or family he said: "Very angry. Why did this happen to me? And if you lose your family like I did it’s very difficult. You go into denial for a long time and then you’re into anger for a long time.

~ Peter Gilroy spoke exclusively to Sarah Marshall - listen to the full interview here >>>

"I don’t think you ever get over a bereavement, you come to terms with it. I was lucky and very fortunate, but others are not so fortunate. But I’ve never forgotten.

"As a chief executive I have a lot of stress in this job, but not the sort of stress you can get if you’re on the streets and homeless."