I must protest at the absolute shambles that ensued from the Big Beach Boutique II on Saturday.

Coming home along the A23 that afternoon, we met the end of the queue of cars trying to get into Brighton at the Haywards Heath junction. We were able to get on to the A272 and continued through Cowfold and Henfleld, hoping to reach home via Saddlescombe Road - only to meet the end of another queue at Saddlescombe Farm.

We finally made it through Fulking, Upper Beeding, the Adur flyover and the A27 to Hove. Trying the journey by train would have been futile as I understand Brighton station was closed too.

This was followed by the inevitable weekly fireworks on Palace Pier and the inconsiderate revellers on Cromwell Road who decided the fun should go on until well after midnight, terrifying animals and disturbing anyone trying to sleep.

Ambulances, police cars and the helicopter (which seems to be sent up at the drop of a hat) all added to the hellish noise. Who, by the way, pays for all this?

On Sunday, Western Road was disgusting. As well as paper, food, bottles and cans littering the pavements, two filthy men were lying unconscious near McDonald's - all this at midday, by which time apparently no attempt had been made to clear away either them or the mess.

After the same event last year, our beach was rendered unusable because of the horrible and dangerous detritus left by the party-goers.

I was in central London for the whole of the Jubilee celebrations and the Metropolitan Police, London Transport and all the other services involved showed how to handle large crowds with the minimum of trouble and disturbance.

The excuse given for the chaos on Saturday was that the number of people who tried to get into Brighton was double that expected. It may be remembered, according to the Press, no one was expected to turn out for the Jubilee but proper plans were obviously made in London for any contingency.

While everyone has a right to enjoy themselves, I too have a right to be able to get to my home and enjoy it in a reasonably peaceful fashion.

If the Sussex Police, the local authority et al cannot do better than the fiasco this weekend, any suggestion that another "party" event be held in future should be knocked on the head right now.

The Place to Be? I don't think so. Where else? Anywhere else if this weekend is an indication of how our city is going to be.

-Mrs Pauline Robertson, Cromwell Road, Hove