A crackdown on abandoned cars left on the streets and in the countryside has started to have a major impact.

A pilot scheme, launched earlier this month in Chichester and neighbouring Arun district, has already led to 78 vehicles being removed.

The aim of the West Sussex County Council-backed project is to remove cars within two days of being classified as abandoned, instead of the usual month.

It also includes tracing the last registered owner to charge them for disposal.

The scheme is part of the county council's community safety policy. it says abandoned cars heighten fear of crime and most end up being stripped of parts or set on fire.

Experts say the increase in abandoned cars is mainly due to the fall in scrap metal value, with dealers no longer willing to take away wrecks or MoT failures.

The pilot scheme, called Operation Crackdown, is due to be extended to all parts of West Sussex by April.