Father-of-two Paul Hope was horrified when his 11-year-old son found what he thought was an animal's spine dumped next to a syringe outside their home.

Mr Hope said his son Eli had left their home in Brighton for school but came back telling his father there was part of a carcass in the alleyway near their house.

Mr Hope went to get the item and called the council, fearing it may be an illegally dumped spinal cord from a cow, which could pose a BSE threat.

Freelance designer Mr Hope, who has lived in Ship Street Gardens for about four years, said: "I think it is a cow's spinal cord and I'm aware of the strict regulations surrounding the disposal of such waste products.

"I put it in a plastic bag and called the council immediately."

Mr Hope said residents were growing increasingly concerned that the alleyway was being used as a dumping ground.

He said: "You see needles down here all the time and it's like a shooting gallery.

"There are a lot of families with young children living down here. The council needs to power-wash the street regularly.

"My son was pretty disturbed by the carcass. I think it must have come from one of the restaurants but I have no idea how it came to be lying out in the open."

An environmental health officer for Brighton and Hove City Council examined the find and said he was 99 per cent sure the remains belonged to a sheep.

He also said it was only bone and there was no trace of spinal cord but further examinations of the bone were being carried out.

A council spokesman said: "We will investigate how it got to be where it was but we are sure it is not beef and it is not a BSE threat."

The council said it would also power-wash the street as soon as possible and will now look into a long-term measure.