A litter crackdown is being launched to stop Worthing town centre from disappearing under a sea of rubbish.

People walking to work today were confronted by mounds of fish and chip cartons in both Chapel Road and South Street.

Dozens of tickets advertising night clubs were also strewn around.

Councillor Peter Green, the borough council's spokesman for the environment, said he would be holding talks next week with town centre manager Anne Angel in a bid to find a solution.

Coun Green, who has the job of enforcing the Liberal Democrats' election pledge of a creating a cleaner and safer Worthing, said: "It is a particular pain to us.

"The fast food takeaways never seem to make any effort to clean up. It is something we shall have to deal with."

Coun Green has £53,000 in his budget to buy a new street-cleaning machine and was looking at the last of three competitors today.

He is concerned the sweeper won't be able to clear litter from under tables in pedestrian precincts.

He said: "We don't want to stop or hinder trade but this is something we shall have to look at."

He also promised to investigate complaints about spilt white paint outside the Assembly pub in Chatsworth Road.