An international sports company hopes to build a 3,000-seat beach stadium for a games tournament featuring football and rugby stars.

The Octagon Group wants to ship in 28 tonnes of sand to make a proper pitch and transform Brighton's seafront into an arena for the extravaganza.

Former football internationals Eric Cantona, Chris Waddle and Stan Collymore could take part in the first weekend event, a beach football tournament.

Rugby stars could star in an international beach rugby challenge on the second weekend with beach volleyball featuring on the third weekend.

Games would be televised by Sky TV and the beach soccer would be screened live.

All events would be staged during the day and take place in the compact stadium, which could be put on the beach about 400 metres east of the Palace Pier.

This site was chosen because it was the largest and flattest piece of beach within easy reach of Brighton and Hove's centre.

Plans for the star-studded beach festival are likely to be approved by city councillors on Thursday. It would run between June 1 and 15.

Council events organiser Ian Taylor said: "There has been consultation with ward councillors, seafront traders and others, with only very positive comments being received."

Broadcaster Simon Fanshawe, who led Brighton and Hove's Place To Be campaign for city status, said: "I think it sounds fantastic."