Neighbours formed a human barricade to stop a bulldozer as it started demolishing their communal garden.

They watched in horror as it wrecked the garden in Wilbury Road, Hove, and called the police after witnessing the damage.

The garden is at the rear of the home and office of a French consul who is responsible for looking after the interests of foreign students and other French-speakers in Hove.

Officers told the bulldozer operators to stop and neighbours kept a watch on the garden all weekend. They were planning to obtain an injunction today to prevent further damage.

It is thought the work was ordered by a property developer who plans to convert an old stable off Wilbury Road into flats.

Neighbour Sidney Harris said: "The building just started shaking. It was like there was an earthquake.

"I went next door to see what was happening and they had knocked down all the garden behind it and ruined the patio.

"I thought they might have knocked that part down but they are not going to touch the rest because I am going to stand here until they stop."

Mr Harris and his neighbour John Taylor stood in their garden shouting at the men in the bulldozer until the police arrived and called an end to the destruction.

He said: "It was just as well we were here. If the house had been full of elderly people they probably wouldn't have done what we did. We will be seeking an injunction first thing Monday morning but it was really bad of them coming along at 4pm on Friday when it was too late to do that."

Part of the garden behind the consul's office and another house is built on top of a Victorian tunnel once used as a dung run for horses from the old stables.

While the owner of the stables is responsible for the upkeep of the tunnel, the residents of the house and Toad Hall, where consul Francois Lavod lives and works, have responsibility for maintaining the garden.

However, the developer believes the garden on top of the tunnel is not safe. In January his solicitors, Griffith Smith, wrote to residents stating: "Following the heavy rainfall, and doubtless as a result of the amount of soil and the substantial trees that have been allowed to grow on the structure, the horizontal cracks that were already showing have now moved and the whole archway is completely unstable."

But Mr Harris had a survey done by Jonathan Orrell, of Hemsley Orrell Partnership, who found that the tunnel was not unsafe. In January Mr Orrell told Mr Harris "simple" repairs to the tunnel were necessary but that demolishing the arch would "seriously compromise" the garden.

Mr Taylor, whose flat was once owned by cricket legend Sir Jack Hobbs, said: "We have perpetual rights to that garden, so how can someone just come and knock it down?"

Mr Lavod said his solicitors are dealing with the matter. He said: "I have every faith that British justice will put this right."

Brunswick and Adelaide Councillor Paul Elgood has promised to support the residents.

He said: "Residents are rightly extremely angry over the damage and loss of the gardens to these developers. They had no right to proceed while the land was under dispute."