Public school girls attracted by the "gangster" lifestyle have joined drug gangs on Brighton seafront.

Police believe pupils at some of the county's top schools are being used to carry drugs by dealers who have turned the beach into a war zone.

Traders said last night they have been forced to close early because of escalating violence.

And police say teenage girls are being drawn by the "glamour" of the scene.

Bars and clubs are shutting their doors up to three hours early to save customers from being pestered.

One manager said: "They have threatened to stab me and even kill me.

"It's so much worse than last year when we stayed open until 11pm.

"We shut our doors at 8pm now because the atmosphere is too intimidating and customers don't come."

David Downer, chairman of the seafront traders, said: "The beach has been divided into a family zone and a combat zone.

"What used to be a small evening occurrence has now become 24 hours. We just want our beach back."

Seafront officer PC Steve Hills said: "The situation has gained momentum over the last few years.

"It's a nice place for the dealers because they can listen to the music on the beach while they are making money. This has led to other gangs coming down which has caused turf wars.

"The dealers give drugs to the addicts who then cause a distraction while they are dealing.

"They also have young girls sitting around with them who can carry things in their bags without anyone suspecting. Some girls are from public schools.

They seem to be attracted to the dealers and their gangster lifestyle.

"The girls' parents would be horrified if they knew what their daughters were up to."

Police have made arrests and now traders are fighting back.

They have joined a radio link scheme designed to keep clubs and the police up to date with intelligence.

Radio messages will be monitored at Brighton police station's CCTV suite. A radio will also be carried and monitored by a seafront police officer.

Fifteen venues in Brighton and Hove have signed up to the Night Safe project and a new version was launched today for daytime traders.

Chief Inspector Lisa Pearcey, city centre police commander, said: "We are aware of the problems on the Lower Esplanade and we are doing everything in our power to combat it and to support the traders.

"I cannot discuss some of the initiatives we are planning but action is and will be taken."

One trader said: "Dealers just want to make the beach theirs.

"They have fights and there have been times when they have fallen into my place and just carried on fighting. They use glasses and bottles on each other and sometimes chains.

"It's a shame because the council spent a lot of money to make the beach a family environment but it's being taken away by an unruly few."

Another trader said: "There are definitely fewer customers down here in the evenings and I haven't seen many of the regulars.

"The addicts cause a lot of the trouble at night because they don't know what they are doing."

Wednesday September 10, 2003