A group of overzealous music students blanketed part of Brighton with flyposters - and left their teachers facing hefty fines.

The youngsters at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music were promoting a charity gig they are holding tonight.

Hundreds of posters were put up in The Lanes and North Laine but Brighton and Hove City Council was not impressed and warned their teachers they could be prosecuted.

The young musicians were ordered to take down all the posters and were taught a valuable lesson in the process.

The school's director Bruce Dickinson, former guitarist with the rock band Little Angels, said: "The students got a bit carried away.

"Loads have been put up and potentially we could be fined £50 for each.

"The council phoned the venue, the Concorde II, and they passed it on to the students.

"We have been banging on that the kids should be entrepreneurial so I can't be too cross.

"I know how hard it is to start in a band so I find it really hard to be down on the guys for doing it."

However, student Sam Smith, 19, was unrepentant.

He said: "I put up about 20-odd posters. They were on closed-down shops or on the floor outside the station where people could see them.

"I think it's a bit annoying having to take them down. It's just publicity and we're not hurting anyone."

The youngsters, who are all studying a one-year diploma in modern music, organised the gig as part of their course to raise money for Barnado's.

A council spokesman said: "We regard fly posting as unacceptable, whoever is doing it, and we are committed to getting it removed as quickly as possible.

"In this instance we have spoken to the organisers of the event, and they have removed the offending posters.

"We wish them luck with their fund-raising concert.

"But either way, our message is clear and constant: No fly-posting in our city, please."