Some of Brighton’s most famous landmarks were put on the market.

But the sale of Brighton Pier, West Pier and the city’s beach on Thursday, December 6 was a spoof by Oxfam.

The charity put up ‘sold’ signs at some of the country’s most well-known spots in a campaign against land grabbing.

Poor people in Africa, Asia and Latin America are being left homeless and without access to the land where they grow food to eat and sell.

Lisa Rutherford from Hove, who is Oxfam’s UK regional media manager, said: “Quite a few people saw the signs and asked if the beach and pier were sold and when we explained what we were doing, they agreed that land grabbing has to be stopped.”

She added: “With land over four times the size of Brighton being sold off every day, more people are at risk of having their land grabbed.

“We wanted to come to Brighton beach with its landmarks to bring home to people in Sussex the issue of land grabs.”

Oxfam wants the World Bank to freeze land deals for six months.

v See the latest news headlines from The Argus:

More news from The Argus

Follow @brightonargus

The Argus: Daily Echo on Facebook - facebook.com/southerndailyecho Like us on Facebook

The Argus: Google+ Add us to your circles on Google+