An animal charity's biggest fund-raising event is in jeopardy after Travellers moved on to the site.

Travellers drove caravans, cars, lorries and an old fire engine on to Braypool Field, in Braypool Lane, Patcham, Brighton, at 2am on Friday.

By Saturday, there were 19 vehicles in the far end of the field and staff at the neighbouring RSPCA centre feared more would arrive.

The centre warned it might have to cancel its annual open day on July 17 if the travellers had not left.

Chairman Frances Lindsey-Hills said: "The biggest problem is the threat to our open day which raises £20,000 and is our major event of the year.

"We've spent six months arranging it and our patron Simon Cowell will be opening it.

"We expect more than 2,000 people and there will be more than 100 stalls manned by other animal charities."

Brighton and Hove City Council said it was starting legal proceedings and expected the group to have moved in two weeks.