Womwn were strip-searched in a kitchen as police raided a pub looking for drugs and guns.

No weapons were found but a small amount of cannabis was seized.

No arrests were made and staff are furious about the way they were treated.

Kirsty Moore, 31-year-old licensee of the The Star in Brunswick Road, Hove, was one of those searched.

She said: "It was not pleasant, I can assure you.

"One of my barmaids has only been here three weeks and, she too, was strip-searched in the kitchen.

"It was carried out by female officers but it was still absolutely horrendous."

Police said the small quantity of cannabis was discovered in a "public place" in the pub.

Miss Moore, who has run The Star with her partner and pub owner Roger Silsby for four years, said that amount of the drug could be found in many bars in Brighton and Hove.

She said no drugs were found on staff and no drugs were being sold on the premises.

Officers accompanied bailiffs to the pub on Tuesday to serve an eviction notice.

Miss Moore said the notice was issued by the brewery, Enterprise Inns.

She said she believed unfounded information about someone selling drugs from the premises was behind the eviction.

Miss Moore and her partner were woken at 11.30am by police.

She said: "We have a late licence until 1.30am so I was still in bed. I didn't know what the hell was going on.

"They said an informant had told them we were selling Class A drugs and firearms at the pub.

"I couldn't believe it. Needless to say they found nothing.

"This is a popular pub and we certainly don't sell drugs or provide firearms."

Mr Silsby said his and the pub's good name had been tarnished and he would be instructing solicitors to sue Sussex Police.

The pub was open as usual yesterday.