People may have to start using dialling codes to make local calls because of a shortage of phone numbers.

Ofcom said Brighton and Hove is running out of numbers available for new lines.

Now the telecommunications watchdog is considering introducing new numbers for the city starting with a 1 or 0 after the 01273 code.

But the change will mean anyone inside the city will have to dial 01273 before making any call to an address within the area.

Ofcom has calculated that it will run out of numbers in the Brighton and Hove area within three years and the new measures would mean new numbers could be created without any existing numbers having to be changed.

To have your say on the plans visit stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/geographic-numbers.