Brighton and Hove Council has admitted it is not up to fighting graffiti since taking back control of street-cleaning.

Now the authority is considering bringing in yet another private firm to clean away illegal paintwork, despite giving the last contractor, Sita, the boot.

The council's graffiti squad has just two members of staff responsible for cleaning up after spray can vandals.

Their only steam-cleaning machine belonged to Sita, which took its equipment with it and left the duo with just a jet spray.

The council admits the team does not have the expertise, equipment or manpower to keep the city free from graffiti, especially when it is daubed on historic buildings or public art, which need specialist cleaning.

Council officers are investigating bringing in a private firm.

Some residents have accused the council of failing to maintain the city since it took over from Sita.

The council aims to tackle city-centre graffiti within 24 hours, particularly if it is offensive or racist. But it admits it would be hard to meet this target with the current team alone.

Tory councillor Carol Theobald said the council had to act quickly.

She said there was prominent graffiti in the city centre, giving the city a poor image.

She highlighted one street where white paint was poured over a resident's wall and across the pavement more than two weeks ago but which had not been cleaned up.

Residents in Brangwyn Crescent have branded the paint an eyesore.

Coun Theobald said: "Graffiti like this will not get removed until we get a proper team."

One Brangwyn Crescent resident, who did not want to be named for fear of becoming a target for vandals, said: "I don't know what we are going to do if we can't get the council to remove graffiti."

A city council spokeswoman said the authority had never been responsible for graffiti on private property but did provide graffiti packs to some individuals, such as traders, to help them tackle the problem themselves.

She said the graffiti squad only tackled the nuisance in the centres of Brighton and Hove.

For other areas, there were teams of council staff responsible for tackling cases of vandalism.

The spokeswoman said the council would look at Brangwyn Crescent to see if it could help.

She added: "Graffiti is still high on our list of priorities but number one is to sort out refuse collection.

"We are considering bringing in a specialist graffiti company.

"With the number of heritage buildings and public art, a team has to have the proper training in conservation materials and I don't think the current team can do that."