Customers at Safeway stores across Sussex can make a bizarre addition to their groceries - a piece of the moon.

Punters at the store have been offered the deeds and a map of an acre of land on the moon for £12.99. They also receive a declaration of ownership.

Some shoppers have marvelled at the novelty item while other have criticised it as a gimmick.

Safeway said an American man, Dennis Hope, claimed the moon and all other planets in the solar system in 1980.

He has granted MoonEstates.com, a British firm, the right to sell extra-terrestrial land in the UK. He has written confirmation from the UN and the USA that he has registered the moon under his name.

Safeway has bought 45,000 acres of the moon from the company and is now offering acres to its customers.

The store has called it a "unique, fun present and a family heirloom to be passed down from generation."

But stargazer Patrick Moore, who lives in Selsey, said: "It is absolutely monstrous, and completely bogus.

"People who buy it are effectively putting their money down the drain, I would not buy one I can tell you."

Some shoppers think they will be very popular, especially with children.

Shopper Lee Wilbrahams, 32, of St James Street, Brighton, said: "I think they are quite cool, I read about it in the Times the other week.

"I don't know how popular they are but they would probably appeal to children and people like that."

Safeway said there are two treaties which refer to the sale of extra terrestrial property or land - the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 and the Moon Treaty of 1984.

The Outer Space Treaty forbids any government from claiming a celestial resource such as the moon or a planet. There is a loophole in the treaty which does not forbid an individual.

A spokeswoman for Safeway said: "Safeway is extremely well-known so people may feel more comfortable buying from the supermarket, rather than directly from a company that they may not have heard of.

"It may turn out in later years that your piece of "land" is exploitable."

Customers can buy their own pieces of moon at branches of Safeway in Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, Worthing, Seaford and Littlehampton depending on availability.