Residents fear the foundations of their homes are being shaken to bits by vehicles thundering down their road.

Council officials have promised to investigate after people complained their homes vibrate every time a bus or lorry goes past.

Residents of Northease Drive in Hangleton, Hove, say an uneven road surface makes the problem worse.

They say the vibration is so bad ornaments move on shelves and visitors often think the noise is thunder.

Some fear the problem could be affecting the foundations of their bungalows.

They have asked Brighton and Hove City Council to investigate before their homes are badly damaged.

They also want Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company to reroute the 5B service until the problem is sorted out.

Christine Meredith, 62, and her husband David, 64, are so concerned they are calling in a surveyor to check if their foundations have been damaged.

Mrs Meredith said: "The road is made up of concrete slabs. Over the years the slabs have worked loose and they are now rocking on their bedding as heavy vehicles pass over them.

"Because we are on a bus route we get this from 6.40am until late at night. There is a clonking sound and the house vibrates.

"When we have visitors in our conservatory they think the noise is a sudden thunderstorm."

Mrs Meredith contacted other residents who have written to the council to complain.

Neighbour Stan Ozanne, 72, said: "I have a crack in one of my walls which might be down to the vibration.

"I can't be certain because of the age of the houses.

"However, residents are concerned the slabs could be damaging our foundations and the council should investigate."

Hangleton councillor Peter Willows said: "I have sat in Mrs Meredith's lounge and watched the ornaments rattling across the shelves because of the vibration.

"This is something the council and the bus company needs to take very seriously.

"If they don't and the foundations of the houses in Northease Drive are damaged, they could end up facing hefty claims for compensation.

"It could cost a lot of money to take the old slabs out and put a new surface in but that will be nothing compared to the cost of rebuilding the bungalows if they fall down.

"The council and the bus company should consider diverting the buses away from that part of the route."

Paul Williams, operations director of the bus company, said: "We are in the hands of the council on this one. It is up to them to decide if the road should be resurfaced.

"If they recommend to us that the route should be diverted, we will act accordingly."

A spokesman for the city council said: "There are a number of areas where older concrete bases have become loose under heavy traffic.

"This can either happen slowly over a period of time or very suddenly.

"Once we are alerted we always investigate and we will send an inspector to Northease Drive to take a look."