NURSES used pebbles from the beach to spell out their demands for fair pay.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) gathered the stones to write ‘scrap the cap’ on Brighton beach.

The stunt was part of a national day of action by nursing staff across the country, to increase pressure on the government to lift the cap on NHS pay.

The RCN says the cap de-values the profession and it is putting people off from joining it at a time when there are 40,000 nursing vacancies in the country.

Members gathered outside the Theatre Royal earlier in the day to speak to passers-by and gather signatures for a petition.

Chairman of the RCN Brighton and Hove branch Graeme Stokes said: “We collected 100 signatures in the first 30 minutes.

“People have been tremendously supportive and have been coming over and approaching us they have seen the words nurses and NHS.

“I’m very proud of all the NHS workers who gave up their time on their day off to be here.”

Heidi Caisley has been a nurse for 18 years and works at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

She said: “I have had no real pay rise since 2010 yet at the same time the cost of living has gone up.

“My husband also works at the hospital and we are just about managing to scrape by but there is no room for anything else.

“I have seen experienced nurses leaving the profession because they simply cannot afford to go on.

“We are struggling to recruit because people see what is happening and don’t want to be a part of it.”

Brighton Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas visited the nurses at the Theatre Royal yesterday to show her support.

She said: “Nurses have effectively had a 14 per cent pay cut over the last few years and they need to have the pay they deserve.

“If we want a fully functioning NHS we need to pay them a decent amount of money.

“They’re not asking for the moon, they are just asking for the cap to be removed.”

RCN officer Sue Bucksey said: “Our campaign is about ensuring the best possible patient care by achieving a fair pay award for our members.

“Scrapping the cap on pay makes moral and economic sense.

“We call on the government to listen to reason and the growing public support for a fair deal for our indispensable nursing staff.”

The starting salary for a newly qualified Band 5 nurse is just over £22,000 a year.

Some nurses have had to resort to using food banks and take on second jobs to make ends meet.

The RCN has also threatened to ballot for strike action.