Travellers who took over part of Hove seafront must leave today after police gave them 24 hours to move on.

Police served notice on them under the Public Order Act yesterday following dozens of complaints from nearby residents and seafront users.

The travellers said they had been forced to use town and city centre sites because of the foot-and-mouth crisis.

Father of seven Garreth Hilsden, 45, and wife Wendy are among 12 families who arrived on Thursday night.

Some of their caravans pulled on to the lawns on Kingsway while others went into the nearby King Alfred car park.

Mr Hilsden said: "At this time of year we would normally look for a field somewhere, but the farmers don't want us on their land because of foot-and-mouth disease.

"Five of us pulled into a lay-by next to a field of cattle on the way down from Wales the other day. The farmer threatened to turn his muck-spreader on us if we didn't go.

"We understand why. He was terrified we might have been carrying the foot-and-mouth virus."

Police were alerted by worried residents soon after the caravans began arriving.

Dr Scarlett Epstein, of Viceroy Lodge, Kingsway, said: "Some arrived on Thursday night and more came on Friday morning.

"We don't want them here and I hope that something is done quickly to evict them."

The travellers said they were the same group which had been at Hangleton Bottom, Hove, until January.

Inspector John Greetham, of Hove police, put notices to quit under Section 61 of the Public Order Act in each caravan yesterday.