Animal rights activists targeted a children's angling competition scaring away fish with sirens and stones today.

Children as young as seven looked on in bemusement as the protesters hurled chalk into a pond and attempted to ward off fish with high-pitched sirens.

Police had been called to chaperone the fun day at Passies Pond in Coombes, near Lancing, after organisers received a series of phone threats before the event.

Despite the presence of officers, the activists ran off through fields after their noisy demonstration.

The event was supported by the Environment Agency to teach budding anglers how to fish responsibly.

But the protesters, from the internet-based group Keep On Fighting, believed the event would encourage youngsters to take up blood sports.

Derren Guile, 27, who was teaching his seven-year-old son Oren, said: "We're showing them the right way to do this.

"Do you leave kids running round vandalising everywhere, knocking over old ladies or would you rather have them sitting on a river bank?"

One of the protesters, Chris James, 23, said: "Fishing is good because it gets people out into the countryside to see wildlife but there are other ways of doing that and they should be explored and encouraged."

Passies Pond owner Trevor Passmore, 53, said: "I can't believe they are targeting innocent kids.

"Every single fish is returned to the water.

"The activists should leave us alone as this gets children off the streets and doing something with their time."