Hove waved goodbye to the psychedelic beach hut that made headlines across the country.

Jeff Allen thought his colourful creation had been preserved for posterity after it was sold for £24 on eBay on Sunday.

But the bidder failed to turn up yesterday by the noon deadline so the 67-year-old was forced to take matters into his own hands.

The hut had to be chopped up with a chainsaw so it could fit into the removal truck to be dumped.

However, some lucky passersby walked off with souvenir squares of the hut as it was meeting its end.

Mr Allen, from Southwick, had been forced to take drastic action as Brighton and Hove City Council had given him until 4pm on Monday to paint over the hut because it broke council regulations.

But he remained philosophical.

He said: “The hut wouldn’t fit in the truck.

“The removal man got his chainsaw and to everyone’s horror or delight starting sawing it in half.”

But Mr Allen’s beach hut experience is not over yet.

He plans to replace the hut with a new one painted in regulation colours.