An English traveller who grew up in Sussex claims she is “not ethnic enough” to be given a pitch locally.

The 51-year-old was born and schooled in Brighton and lived in Worthing before hitting the road six years ago because of the rising cost of accommodation.

However, she told The Argus that because she is not Irish or Romany she cannot have a pitch at Brighton and Hove City Council’s Horsdean transit site.

An email to her from the council’s traveller liaison team last month said: “The Horsdean Traveller Transit site, which has a limited number of pitches, is specifically for ethnic travellers, ie, Romany Gypsies and Irish and Scottish travellers, who are recognised in law as ethnic groups.”

Ms Smith said: “It’s discriminatory. We are travellers [too] and we do have a nomadic way of life.

“I think the situation is absolutely ridiculous and it is not going to get sorted out.”

She said English travellers are different from Irish travellers and want to be recognised as such.

Ms Smith did not have the same trouble using Bridies Tan, an East Sussex County Council (ESCC) transit site near Lewes, where she stayed for the entire 12-week limit.

An ESCC spokesman said the council will not refuse anyone a pitch on the basis of their ethnicity or lifestyle.

There is a waiting list in East Sussex for permanent pitches in the county.

The spokesman said: “Each application on the waiting list is dealt with in line with the council’s allocation policy and is prioritised accordingly.”

ESCC’s allocation policy takes into account dependants, health issues and the length of time travellers have been resident in East Sussex, and does not give Scottish, Irish or Romany travellers a higher priority than English ones.

Despite numerous requests for comment from Brighton and Hove City Council, no one was available to respond at the time of going to press.