Householders were so fed up with people poking fun at the "common" name of their road they voted to change it.

Now The Bricky, a close of dark-bricked two-storey council houses in Peacehaven, may be changed to the more posh sounding Field View Close.

A poll by The Bricky and Cinquefoil Residents' Association achieved a 78 per cent response rate with 82 per cent of people in favour of the change.

They are now asking Peacehaven Town Council and Lewes District to endorse the move, which must also be backed by the Royal Mail.

Residents said the close formerly had a reputation for problem tenants but they had moved out, leaving hard working families who looked after their homes.

Janice Townson, treasurer of the residents' association, said: "The Bricky had a bad name in the past. You could not get an exchange of council houses if you gave your address as The Bricky.

"I am also fed up with people querying the address when you give it on the phone. They say, 'Eh, and what's the rest?' Most people who live here hate the name. In any case the area called The Bricky is the other side of Roderick Avenue."

Yvonne Hughes, secretary of the association, said: "About 12 years ago The Bricky had a really bad name, now you have a different set of people but some people still remember the bad old days. We look out on to nice fields, so why not call it Field View Close?"

Michael Bonwick, who has lived in The Bricky for eight years and runs his own mobile car maintenance business, said: "Most definitely I want a change. It will mean me changing all my letter headings but it will be worth it for a proper sounding address.

However, not everyone is happy. Bob Poplett, or 'Mr Peacehaven' as he is called, thought the change was a waste of time.

Mr Poplett first suggested the name of The Bricky because of the links with old Peacehaven when he was chairman of the highways committee on Peacehaven Town Council.

Charles Neville, the founder of Peacehaven, used clay found in an area to the west of Roderick Avenue to make bricks for houses.

Mr Poplett, 86, who has served for 40 years on the council, said: "The Bricky was one of the street names I put forward because we always used to refer to the area where the bricks were made as The Bricky.

"I put forward several names for roads in Peacehaven and most of them are still there today. Nobody has complained so far.

"These people who want it changed have no sense of history."

Diane Edwards, who has lived in the road for 14 years, said: "There is no point in changing it now. I don't want to write loads of letters saying that after 14 years I now live in Field View Close."