Residents have welcomed on-the-spot fines to tackle the blight of household rubbish littering their pavements.

Brighton and Hove City Council is handing out £50 notices to householders leaving their bags out when no collection is due.

Dozens of householders in Brighton's Kemp Town district and on Hove seafront have complained bitterly about bin bags being left out and torn apart by seagulls and foxes.

Although many have highlighted missed bin rounds the underlying cause of the problem is residents putting their bin bags days before the next collection.

The council's enforcement officers are issuing hundreds of warning letters to residents and traders who make a mess by leaving rubbish bags on the streets long before their refuse collection is due.

The letters inform residents of the day their rubbish will be collected and warn them that putting out black bags on the wrong day will lead to enforcement action. If the letters are ignored legal action begins and £50 fines may be issued. So far 194 warning letters have been sent out and 21 fines imposed.

Rubbish bags left in the streets have created serious litter problems for the city, with seagulls tearing them open and strewing their contents across the road. In the summer the problem was exacerbated by the hot weather.

The council's enforcement team is focusing on the city centre from George Road in Kemp Town to George Street in Hove and Seven Dials to Hanover. During the last three weeks 128 streets have been targeted and another 150 streets will be checked by December.

Environment councillor Gill Mitchell said: "Like many others I am fed up with seeing dumped rubbish spoiling the street, because one resident cannot be bothered to wait until collection day. The council is getting tougher against this minority who mess up our city."