War veterans are calling for a proposed drinking ban in a troubled shopping area to be extended to keep street drinkers away from a war memorial.

Brighton and Hove Council is consulting with traders about plans to ban drinking in St James's Street, Brighton, amid fears that the area is becoming a no-go zone after dark.

But Brighton's war veterans want any ban to be extended to cover the area around the Brighton War Memorial, which they say is not shown enough respect.

The veterans say the memorial in Old Steine has become a meeting point for drunks who throw beer cans and other rubbish into the monument's water feature.

Former soldier John Stevens, 57, of Park Street, who served with the Royal Engineers between 1961 and 1970, said: "People are still dying in conflicts around the world and we need to remember them.

"When I have gone down to the memorial there have been down-and-outs sitting around it. It's a shame because, apart from all the traffic, it's a nice area and should be protected."

The council is conducting a six-month survey to see if a bylaw would work, and how and where it could be implemented.

A council spokeswoman said: "It is still early days in the consultation process but I think there would be the facility to extend it to the Old Steine."

Earlier this week, veterans' calls for signs to be erected urging foreigners to respect the memorial were rejected by the council because they could be offensive.

They wanted signs in French, Spanish, Italian and German telling tourists that the memorial is a monument to honour their fallen comrades and not a picnic spot.

But officers at Brighton and Hove Council have told them the plan would upset those whose language was not included on the notices.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald has taken up the veterans' campaign and is pressing the council to clean up the site.

He said: "What is really felt here is that people don't respect this war memorial."