Thousands of people have signed a petition calling for an ice rink to be built as soon as possible.

The signatures were collected by pressure group Keep Sussex Skating and will be presented to Brighton and Hove City Council.

Many of the 4,000-plus signatures were collected at the Get Your Skates On event at the Brighton Centre when a rink, now being used for the Holiday On Ice show, was opened for public skating.

Keep Sussex Skating publicity manager Patricia Ginman said a questionnaire and a survey were also distributed.

She said they showed overwhelming support, not only for the new rink, but also for bringing back the Brighton Tigers ice hockey team.

Mrs Ginman said: "Our appeal, which we are making to the city council, is for an Olympic-sized city ice arena to be constructed at Black Rock in Brighton."

She said that, since the closure of the SS Brighton rink in West Street more than 30 years ago, skaters had been left without a permanent venue.

Mrs Ginman said: "The public very much enjoyed a temporary ice rink at the Brighton Centre complex and hope it will make a welcome return for the next festive season. The ongoing public appeal is for a permanent ice arena for enjoyment and prestige."

She said the Sussex Ice Rink in Queen Square, Brighton, was useful but, because of its size, an ice hockey club based there had to travel to Bracknell in Berkshire for some of its training sessions.

Mrs Ginman said Keep Sussex Skating had the backing of a developer for a rink at Black Rock.

The council is marketing Black Rock, an old swimming pool site, for a variety of possible uses, including skating.