Brighton and Hove has officially become a city with the arrival of a document from the Queen.

The document, signed by the monarch and known as letters patent, was presented to Brighton and Hove council last night.

It was handed to mayor Andy Durr by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Peter Field, at Brighton Town Hall.

Mr Field told councillors: "It is an honour which is richly deserved."

Councillor Durr said: "I am proud to receive this Letter Patent on behalf of all who live in this great new city of ours."

Council leader Lynette Gwyn-Jones then formally proposed Brighton and Hove should become a city council and this was seconded by Opposition Tory leader Geoffrey Theobald.

She said: "It is a very proud moment for me and for our new city.

"I truly believe Brighton and Hove has in place all the building blocks to become a great European city.

"We have ambitions to be the European City of Culture in 2008."

Some of the 100 Faces, a group of locals who spearheaded the city bid, joined the ceremony.

The text on the ornate, calfskin Letters Patent was written by a Crown Office artist.

It says the Queen is: "Graciously pleased to confer on the towns of Brighton and Hove the status of city."

The document will be put on display within the next few weeks at Brighton and Hove town halls once security arrangements have been finalised.

The Queen and Prince Philip are expected to visit East Sussex on March 29.

Simon Fanshawe, who led the bid for city status, said: "Finally getting the Letters Patent is great, but it's not the end of the story.

"We now have an opportunity to tackle the problems we all know we have in Brighton and Hove and to move on to create a great European city."

Brighton and Hove, Inverness and Wolverhampton were all made cities for the new millennium in December.