Walls were daubed with graffiti and beach huts set alight in a spate of attacks by vandals in Worthing.

Residents, shoppers and business owners woke this morning to find black tags on the sides of shops around the Montague Centre and on a new seafront beach shelter in Worthing.

Worthing Town Centre manager Anne Angel said: "The town was looking really pretty with all the flower baskets and displays so it is depressing when graffiti appears on businesses.

"We pay for a graffiti patrol and would advise traders to contact us immediately if they see anyone involved in this vandalism.

"We are determined to keep on top of the problem."

The beach shelter, to the west of the Lido, was covered in the tags.

Four nearby beach huts were destroyed in two attacks on Thursday and Friday nights at about 10pm.

Firefighters and police attended the fires, which are believed to have been started deliberately.