A city has been called "hell on earth" despite recently ranking as one of the best in the world.

Brighton was ranked 169th place in the Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics, which surveyed 1,000 of the world's biggest cities.

The seaside city came above places like Warsaw and Istanbul, however people familiar with Brighton were quick to turn to social media to dispute the ranking despite the city's lovely beaches, parks and businesses.

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Yasmin Janette wrote: "The state it's in now doesn't deserve to be anywhere near the top. It used to be lovely but not now."

Nicole Duggan, who visited the city as a tourist, added: "As a tourist visiting family I find that hard to believe. I'm lucky to remember when Brighton was beautiful."

Shaun Lambert said: "Such a downtrodden tip now."

Brighton-born Nick Marlow said: "I love Brighton I was born there, but I am afraid it is rundown and a shadow of its former self."

One person, Gábor Csete, even went as far as to call it "hell on earth".

Despite the backlash, a number of residents and visitors were quick to defend the city.

Rhonda Bernadette Diaz said: "My favourite place. Many summer holidays there as a child."

Resident Kevin Mitchell said: "I love living in Brighton and wouldn't want to live anywhere else."

Graham Pierce said: "Brighton is the best place on the south coast."

The city was listed one of the best based on five categories including economics, environment and quality of life.

Other cities that ranked on the list include Birmingham, Southampton and London.

London is the only city in the UK to make the global top ten, where it is ranked second, largely based on its economy.

Anthony Bernard-Sasges, senior economist at Oxford Economics, said: “Cities are the heart of human civilisation, where innovation, diversity and progress converge.

"However, the intricacies of urban dynamics often cloud our understanding of what truly defines the success of a city. Our new Global Cities Index is designed to address this challenge.”