There was uproar today after part of Brighton beach still resembled a massive rubbish tip following a Radio 1 dance party on Friday night.

Traders, residents and holidaymakers were disgusted by the mess and demanded to know why it had not been cleared up.

As a result, the quarter-mile stretch of beach east of the Palace Pier was a no-go zone for all of Saturday and most of yesterday.

People were warned not to go on to the shingle because of glass from scores of broken bottles. There was blood on the concrete ramps leading to the beach where unsuspecting sunbathers had already cut their feet.

Just four workmen were drafted in on Saturday to clear the debris and when traders arrived on Sunday morning they found a solitary litter-picker at work.

Now furious locals, traders and visitors want to know why Radio 1 and Brighton and Hove Council did not make arrangements to clear up the mess immediately after the event, which was attended by an estimated 25,000 people.

Caroline Bamford, 28, who had travelled from Croydon with a friend for a day in Brighton, said: "I feel like turning round and going straight home. It is disgusting, dangerous and a health hazard."

Jim Hynes, 40, of Queen's Park, Brighton, said: "I have never seen it like this before. This is dangerous because of all the broken glass."

Gary Jungabauer, 60, of Devonshire Place, Kemp Town, a regular swimmer from the beach, was astonished there were only eight small wire bins provided for revellers to dump their rubbish.

Steve Hill, 49, who runs the Volks Cafe on Madeira Drive, said: "This mess is disgraceful. They should have had people clearing up all night. Other resorts would have done."

Heather Clarke, of Seafront Galleries, opposite the beach, said: "This event has been running for three years and each time there has been a mess afterwards. The council should have arranged special cleaning. This would not have happened in Bournemouth."

Brighton and Hove Council's seafront office said rubbish collection contractors Sita were responsible for cleaning the beach and seafront.

A spokeswoman for BBC Radio 1 said: "The Brighton Dance Party was a great success following on from the success of our last three dance parties in Brighton. About 25,000 saw sets from Dave Pearce, Judge Jules and Paul Oakenfield - all for free.

"For many months we have been working closely with Brighton and Hove Council, as we have in previous years, and one of the arrangements was that the council takes responsibility for cleaning up after the show. We always encourage audiences to take their rubbish with them."

Former Brighton mayor Jackie Lythell, who represents the Queen's Park Ward, which includes the affected area of beach, said:" The mess is appalling. We have got to have tighter contracts to ensure there are appropriate teams on duty to clear up after such events."

Matt Taylor, press and marketing manager for Sita, which has been severely criticised in recent days for failing to collect rubbish from people's homes, said: "We will clean it up as soon as we can. We have obviously been caught out by the amount of rubbish left by those who enjoyed a good bash."

Greg Harman, owner of Cafe Madeira, said: "We came in on Sunday and there was just a solitary figure on the beach using one of those litter-picking grabs standing in the middle of this sea of rubbish. It was a ridiculous sight. By late morning there was about six of them working out there but it will take them days to clear it all at this rate."

Mr Harman said his business had suffered as a result of the rubbish and broken glass, with many people reluctant to visit that part of the beach over the weekend.

He added: "People are not coming down here. Many visitors said they had never seen Brighton looking so dirty.

"I personally think Radio 1 should be responsible for clearing it up. They roll into town, roll out again, and leave us with all this mess. It's just not right."