Councillors will ask National Lottery chiefs for help to restore the historic Madeira Lift on Brighton seafront.

Full restoration of the lift, which opened in 1890, would cost about £250,000.

Brighton and Hove city councillors have agreed to investigate a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund for some of the cash.

But culture councillor Ian Duncan warned colleagues at a meeting it would be difficult to get the money.

Although the lift is a listed building, it is not in the top grade which would encourage large lottery grants.

He said: "Even if we do succeed, we will have to find shedloads of matching funding."

The culture committee agreed to make a bid to the council's maintenance budget for £25,000 to keep the lift going.