Residents say crime is worse than ever on a Brighton estate despite high-profile police raids, undercover surveillance, CCTV and countless promises.

Community groups which represent hundreds of people in the Whitehawk and Manor Farm areas of Brighton have united to demand police get tough on the thugs, crooks and drug dealers who are making their lives a misery.

In a report presented to Inspector Steve Curry, they described the problems they face:

Antisocial behaviour is not dropping
Police are failing to respond to reports of crime
Drug dealing is not being effectively tackled
Police action is often not backed up by the housing department.

People living in some parts of the estate issued with 'nuisance forms' to keep tabs on troublemakers have stopped filling them in, saying they are ignored.

The report was presented to Mr Curry at a meeting of the Whitehawk Crime Prevention Forum.

Its findings are contrary to the statements which neighbours say they are being fed from official sources.

Lyn Bennett, representing the forum, said: "This is the consensus of everybody. Residents are complaining now and we know things are going to get much worse through the summer holidays.

"We've had everything from children throwing stones at cars to very large explosions going off at 6am."

Maggie Smeeth, another resident representative, said: "I'm absolutely disgusted with the police and community safety team."

Eddie Cope, who lives in Whitehawk, said: "We're not getting what we want."

Mr Curry said the statistics showed there had been a drop in recorded crime but admitted police had a long way to go.

He said: "The statement that crime is not dropping on the estate is untrue. But there is no room for complacency.

"There are some very exciting things happening in terms of targeting the key protagonists of antisocial behaviour."