Brighton's pebble beach is world-famous. It's our greatest asset.

It's the reason the city by the sea exists.

But our premier tourist attraction looked like a landfill site after 250,000 revellers at Fatboy Slim's beach party left hundreds of tons of rubbish.

Four weeks on, the pebbles are still riddled with broken glass. It is a problem that is likely to remain a sharp reminder of the night for years to come.

Today The Argus launches a campaign to turn the tide of damage and protect the beach against such a disaster happening again.

We want to keep all glass off the beach at all times.

We're not talking about changing laws - local bureaucracy is cumbersome and slow.

Far more effective is calling on the goodwill of the people who live here and those who visit our city.

The first person to pledge his support to the campaign was Fatboy Slim, alias Norman Cook.

Norman, who lives in Hove with wife Zoe Ball and son Woody, said: "I'm right behind the campaign. I'm all for keeping the glass off the beach and keeping it safe for everybody."

Our initiative has the backing of leading environmentalists, safety experts, medics and traders.

Now we're asking for YOUR support to make sure another glass disaster is avoided.

The seafront has undergone a huge and impressive transformation in the past ten years. The good work is continuing.

But shattered bottles and glasses on the beach do nothing to enhance our reputation as a safe resort.

Although a hit with fans, Fatboy Slim's concert between the piers was an environmental disaster.

It took four days to clear the seafront of the initial tide of rubbish.

Despite the huge clean-up operation, most of which was paid for by Norman himself, and the continued efforts of the beach cleaning crew, there is still glass among the pebbles.

At least three children have been taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital with lacerations. Traders have also treated visitors for cuts to their hands and feet.

Swimmers and surfers have reported glass being washed in and out on the tides and cyclists say the residue is playing havoc with their tyres.

It will take years for the shards between the layers of pebbles to wear down and become safe.

At present, there are no by-laws preventing glass on the beach. There are not even any signs asking visitors not to take glass on to the pebbles.

Seafront traders are not supposed to serve drinks in glasses or bottles on their terraces but many find their way on to the beach.

It's our beach. Everyone who lives here has a vested interest in looking after it.

Here's what the experts say about our initiative:

Ian Cornall, head of water and leisure at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "People don't want to have to wear sandals all the time.

"We would certainly support any campaign to keep beaches free from glass."

Colin Millham, chairman of the Sussex Society of Licensed Victuallers, called it "an eminently sensible idea".

He said: "Glass on the beach deters people from using it and coming to Brighton and Hove. I'd like to see the council provide more bins for people to put their glass and other rubbish in."

Tom Mannouch, manager of Threshers off-licence and secretary of the St James's Street Traders' Association said: "Licencees and traders would fully support the campaign to make the beach safer and cleaner.

"But to do that we need to be fully informed about events well in advance so we can be prepared for them and sell cans rather than glass.

"It would work very well as long as all licencees stood by each other and agreed not to sell glass items to the public."

Dave Downer, chairman of the Brighton and Hove Seafront Traders' Association, said: "We have asked the council before for more prominent signs telling people not to bring glass on to the beach but we have been told it is not in the budget.

"We would be behind The Argus in trying to clean up the beach and seafront and make it a safer place for everyone."

Ian Keeber, spokesman for the Royal Sussex County Hospital, said the idea had their "absolute support".

He said: "The increase in the number of cut feet we have dealt with since the Fatboy Slim concert has really highlighted the problems glass can cause, particularly to young children and especially now during the school holidays.

"Anything we can do to reduce the damage to people, we would support."

Angela Howard, spokeswoman for EnCams, which awards blue flags to beaches, said: "We would be delighted to support a campaign which addressed litter, especially glass from the safety aspect."

Chief Superintendent Doug Rattray said although not a policing matter, officers did not want people to cut their feet by going on to the beach.

He said: "Litter can affect people's quality of life. I support any move to make the beach safer for users."