Campaigners are winning their fight against rogue traders who sell dangerous ball bearing guns in their community, The Argus has found.

Our undercover reporter visited the bank holiday market at Brighton racecourse yesterday to see whether the weapons were on sale.

Although the sale of the guns at the market is banned, some traders in the past have been illicitly selling from the back of vans or under tables.

But when we randomly approached traders at the market yesterday, all of them pointed to the signs stating no BB guns are on sale and our reporter left empty-handed.

The test signals a success in the clampdown on BB gun sellers jointly led by police, trading standards, market security and concerned parents.

Our exercise was in sharp contrast to two months ago when a cache of deadly-looking weapons, including rifles and handguns, was seized at the market.

They were selling from £5 for a handgun to £15 for a rifle-style weapon. Police patrolling the market seized them under Section 19 of the Firearms Act 1968.

Mothers Lyn Bennett and Chris El Shabba, who live on Brighton's Whitehawk estate, were yesterday at the market along with police, trading standards and market security.

Mother-of-two Mrs Bennett, 50, said she too had not found any BB guns on sale and believes the message is now finally getting through.

She said: "We have had a good look round and we have not found any BB guns which is really pleasing.

"We've also been receiving some very positive comments from stallholders who have said they are glad we are keeping up our campaign.

"Since we started we've noticed fewer incidents on the estate. We think the message is finally getting through.

"Now we want to see if we can hit markets in other areas."

The Whitehawk estate has been blighted by young people buying and firing the guns.

Last year Levi Pettitt, of Haybourne Road, Whitehawk, Brighton, suffered a serious eye injury from a BB gun pellet.

Levi's grandmother Lorraine Snow, who runs the Crew Club youth club on the Whitehawk estate, organised a BB gun amnesty last summer when young people were encouraged to swap them for water pistols. Now it seems the battle is being won.

Market manager Andy Morris, of Town and Country Markets, said: "It's a constant battle and we won't drop our guard but all the feedback we are getting is positive.

"Our position is clear. Although it is legal for over-18s to buy BB guns, we operate a policy of not selling them at the market.

"If we do come across any traders selling BB guns or any BB paraphernalia then they will be confiscated and handed over to the police."