Sussex's regional accents are in danger of dying out.

Academic studies have found that many regional accents including Geordie, Scouse, Mancunian and Brummie are becoming more distinct, but southern dialects, particularly the East and West Sussex accents, are becoming less noticeable.

Researchers found that “commuter culture” meant big city accents were surviving, but colonising the way people talk in surrounding areas.

Linguistics experts from universities across the country found northern accents thriving as people with strong accents, like Ant and Dec and Cheryl Cole, featured prominently on TV.

Paul Kerswill, a professor of sociolinguistics at Lancaster University, said: “Northerners do not want to sound like Southerners.

“Accents are more varied in northern England because they have not been subjected to the mass levelling of speech caused by London and its commuting hinterland.

“In the southeast, Kent, Essex and East and West Sussex are all losing their distinctive accents while the capital’s own Cockney is also under threat.”