Scores of travellers have moved on to a South Coast beauty spot, raising fears it could be weeks before they are moved.

People living near Telscombe Tye are fuming after the convoy moved there overnight and set up home.

They fear the travellers will leave a trail of mess at the site and are demanding action.

The travellers' arrival has reignited a row about putting fences around the council-owned site between Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs.

Police directed the travellers on to the Tye on Wednesday evening after a convoy of vehicles left the Tideway site in Newhaven the day before they had been ordered to leave by the courts.

Backers of the fence project said it would have made it more difficult for vehicles to get on to the Tye.

A majority of residents at Telscombe Town Council's recent annual meeting opposed fencing, although the council may carry out a local referendum on the issue.

Saltdean environmentalist John Carden said fencing was mainly intended to help return the Tye to downland pasture but it would also keep vehicles out.

He said: "This is just one of the reasons. We have got a considerable problem with motorcycles and cars up there and now we have got travellers' vehicles up there.

"You cannot treat it as open space and not expect these things to happen."

Telscombe councillor David Neighbour said: "It would be harder for them to access it. If they had to go through gates we could have limited the type of vehicles that could go on there."

Telscombe council offices were "besieged" by calls from residents complaining about the travellers' arrival.

The council owns the Tye site and it applied yesterday for a court order to evict the travellers.

Mayor Vic Clayton would not comment beyond saying: "We are trying to take taking legal action, it is as simple as that."