POLICE "mistakenly challenged" people discussing the election outside a polling station.

The error was highlighted yesterday (THUR) by local Green councillor Ben Duncan on Twitter who said: "I'm receiving reports that Sussex Police officers are trying to interfere in Brighton democracy today - unbelievable!"

He went on to add: "Sussex Police showing up at polling stations informing volunteers that telling is illegal."

People pointed out that it was legal to discuss the election with some saying they might go to the Electoral Commission regarding the issue.

A Sussex Police spokesman admitted: "A pair of Police Community Support Officers mistakenly challenged two people outside a polling station in Brighton who were asking those who had already voted for their polling card numbers.

"The PCSOs originally told those asking the voters that they could not ask for polling card numbers.

"After they contacted a more senior officer they were given guidance that this was not an offence and they did not intervene again."

There has been no details released about which polling station the incident occurred at.