Householders in Eastbourne, hit with one of the country's highest council tax rises, are rounding up support to have the levy scrapped altogether.

A petition calls for council tax abolished and replaced with a fairer system based on ability to pay.

Support to ditch the tax is gaining momentum in Eastbourne where residents were left reeling by a colossal 38 per cent rise.

The increase, largely due to the appointment of waste contractor Sita and a poor government grant settlement, was the fourth highest in England and Wales.

With warnings of further increases this year, Liberal Democrats in Eastbourne are finding support for their bid to abolish council tax.

Eastbourne parliamentary hopeful Stephen Lloyd joined campaigners in Old Town to boost backing for a local income tax.

He said today: "The current method of council tax based on the value of property is quite simply unfair.

"Why should an elderly person who only receives the state retirement pension and lives in a Band D house pay the same council tax as someone earning £50,000 a year who also happens to live in a Band D property?

"The fairer way to raise the money needed for local government should be based on a person's ability to pay."

Further signature-gathering will take place at the Langney Shopping Centre on Saturday. And the Lib Dems have pledged to widen their campaign.

Mr Lloyd said: "I will be taking our Axe the Tax campaign to every shopping area across the Eastbourne constituency over the coming weeks.

"Our next stop is the Langney Shopping Centre this Saturday, where I am 100 per cent confident we will get the same interest from local shoppers as we did last weekend on Albert Parade."