Illegal hawkers who operate along the seafront will be given no place to hide after the launch of a new crackdown.

More than 50 unlicensed traders have been moved on from Brighton as seafront officers and police moved in to stamp out the illegal trade.

Last summer there were a flood of complaints from licensed traders who feared the hawkers would put them out of business.

Now Brighton and Hove Council is aiming to reassure genuine traders they will not be affected in future.

Viki Miller, assistant seafront officer, said: "It was a very successful operation. We were not even giving them time to put their rucksacks down.

"We took down the names and addresses of several people and told them they could face prosecution if we caught them again."

Signs have already gone up along the seafront warning people it is illegal to trade on the pavement or beach.

She added: "This year we aim to nip the problem in the bud. We now have four seafront officers and we will be out every weekend patrolling up and down the seafront all day long."

Last year hairbraiders and henna artists were able to claim they were offering a service rather than selling goods and the seafront officers were unsure whether they could be moved on. This summer no one will be immune from the action.

Pete Avey, who runs Seasiders cafe and gift shop, welcomed the crackdown.

He said: "Usually the problem begins over Easter and gets worse as summer approaches. This time they are moving them on as soon as they sit down and not allowing them to settle."

Street trading is currently legal only in an area near the West Pier.

Anyone who trades without a licence elsewhere is in breach of by-laws and liable to prosecution.

Many of the hawkers themselves insist they would be happy to pay for a licence rather than be treated as criminals, but the council has no plans to change the law and issue licences for open trading along the seafront.