Dozens of squirrels were slaughtered after they vandalised a chapel and caused £2,000 damage.

More than 40 grey squirrels were found nesting in the roof of the building at Portslade Cemetery.

They had chewed their way through the chapel carpet, damaged furniture and trashed the inside of the roof space.

Staff began to notice their chapel was being vandalised during the past few months.

When staff checked the roof they discovered the culprits.

Brighton and Hove City Council called in contractors to repair the damage and remove the squirrels.

Contractors set up traps on Sunday morning and managed to catch most of the squirrels and destroy them.

Mesh has been set up around the building to stop any other squirrels from getting inside and the entrances they were using have been blocked up.

Squirrels are officially classed as exotic vermin by the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), so the cull was legal.

The term exotic is used because they are not native to the UK, unlike the red squirrel.

A Defra spokesman said if squirrels were trapped they had to be killed humanely either by a blow to the head or with a gun.

A council spokeswoman said: "We had complaints because we were not able to carry out services at the chapel because of the damage.

"People were having to use the chapel at Hove instead. We brought in contractors to do the repairs and remove the problem of the squirrels so we could use the chapel again."

One resident who called The Argus said he had heard the squirrels were being shot at.

He said: "I know they are vermin and can cause problems but this seems to be a bit drastic."

The council said it had no evidence that some of the squirrels had been dealt with like this.

Trevor Weekes, from the East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service, said: "Unfortunately I feel in this day and age it is too easy for members of the public, contractors and councils to kill animals when there are humane alternatives available.

"The cheap and simple option is chosen because it is easier than trying to find a more humane alternative. It is very sad."