Thousands of pounds are being paid out each week to people who have tripped over on pavements.

But Brighton and Hove City Council is warning pedestrians it is not an easy touch for compensation.

Environment Cabinet councillor John Ballance said at a council meeting that £226,350 had been paid out to people injured tripping over uneven pavements in the past three years.

He said there had been 329 claims but 262 had been settled at no cost and the council's insurance had paid for the others.

Coun Ballance said: "Only a minority of cases have been found to have been proved. Vehicles driving up pavements and cracking them causes us a lot of problems."

Tory councillor Brian Oxley said: "In many parts of the city pavements are checked but it takes weeks before the work is started.

"The people who fall have been grossly inconvenienced and some have been hurt very badly."

Coun Oxley said there were some paving stones that were a hazard, especially for anyone elderly or unsteady on their feet.

He knew of one pensioner living in a seafront flat who had been warned by his wife not to go out without a stick following a fall.

Pensioner Thomas Bowker, of Reynolds Road, Hove, tripped over an uneven paving slab in New Church Road.

He ruptured his Achilles tendon and his leg was in plaster for three months.

Mr Bowker was unable to claim compensation because the uneven stone was one millimetre below the height at which it could have been considered an obstacle.

But he said: "I notice that the area where I tripped has now been covered with tarmac.

"I was a bit aggrieved but not enough to give me sleepless nights. I suppose that if I made a successful claim the rest of the people would have to pay."

A council spokesman said: "The council works hard to ensure the pavements of Brighton and Hove are well maintained.

"Regular inspections of all footways are carried out, most frequently in the busier streets such as Western Road and New Church Road.

"Where a defect is considered dangerous it will be repaired as quickly as possible. Factors such as the use of the street, extent of damage to the pavement and potential danger to the public have to be taken into account.

"As long as the council has adhered to the provision of the Highways Act and behaved in a reasonable manner it is unlikely it would be found liable for compensation should a person sustain an injury while walking on the pavement in the city."