Youths played football with a hedgehog before smashing it to death with a sledgehammer.

Police said the incident was "vile" and an investigation has been launched to identify the teenagers.

The attack happened at 5am yesterday in Rotherfield Crescent, Hollingbury, Brighton.

One witness said: "I was woken by the sound of lads playing what I thought was football. There were two or three of them and they were about 15 or 16. I heard one shouting 'goal'.

"Then I heard clumping noises and looked out of my window. One lad was using a sledgehammer.

"I thought they were smashing the pavement but then I heard one lad say 'Ugh - it's gone all over me'. He must have been splattered with blood."

The woman dialled 999 and saw the youths flee when a car passed by. She said: "I saw what was left of the hedgehog. It was flattened."

She described the attack as disgusting.

Another resident said: "I feed hedgehogs in my back garden with peanuts and dog meat. They're lovely.

"I can't believe anyone would do this."

Chief Inspector Kerry Cox, of Brighton police, said: "This is a serious matter and we will be investigating to identify who might have been responsible.

"We can't have young people going round doing things like this."