A US appeal court has ruled that a Los Angeles law which bars people from living in parked vehicles is unconstitutional.

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the decision of a lower court judge who had sided with the city, and ruled that the 1983 law was vaguely written and discriminates against homeless and poor people.

The ruling came in a case brought on behalf of four people who were cited and arrested in the Venice area by police who concluded that the numerous belongings in their motor homes and cars meant they were violating the law.