Travellers have left an illegal camp on council land days before they were to be evicted.

Now council bosses have taken action to ensure the site in Hangleton Bottom, Hove, cannot be used by other travellers.

Brighton and Hove Council had started legal moves to repossess the land, which had been occupied by a group of 40 families and their vehicles since June.

Half the travellers left the camp to find work in Yorkshire shortly after Christmas. The remaining families moved off last week.

Council workmen moved in to clear rubbish from the site and a giant skip was put across the entrance to prevent vehicles from entering.

A large earth bank has now been constructed to stop anyone driving on to the site.

A council spokeswoman said: "We have made the site secure and its future is now under consideration."

She added: "It has been earmarked as a possible site for some form of waste reclamation under the waste local plan."