The fine line between fiction and reality has become blurred as campaigners in Sussex call for Les Battersby to be freed from prison.

Coronation Street's cabbie was jailed for six months on Monday night after being stitched up by the police and convicted of an attack he did not commit.

A sign appeared the same night next to Sussex Marine Water Sports in Southwick.

Drawn in black paint on an old white bed sheet were three words: "Free Les Battersby".

But it seems to have escaped the anonymous artist's notice that Les is a fictional character.

Gary Beadle, co-director of Sussex Marine Watersports, said: "I arrived in the morning to find this big banner.

"I've no idea who put it there but people have been tooting their horns all day and shouting out. They have been shouting things like 'I agree' and 'Free Les'".

Mr Beadle said: "I don't watch the soap myself because I am normally working but I spoke to my wife and from what I can gather, there has been a miscarriage of justice.

"I am going to leave the banner there for a while because it's certainly giving us a laugh."

The jailing of Les is the latest in a string of strong storylines forming part of a ratings battle with BBC1's rival EastEnders.

Les, played by Bruce Jones, got into a scrap with PC Mick Hopwood - lover of his ex-wife Janice - after being stopped for jumping a red light.

He was kicked by his love rival as he lay helpless on the ground before Curly Watts' PC wife Emma managed to intervene.

But it was Les who ended up in trouble after Mick, played by Ian Gain, arrested him for assaulting a police officer.

Emma knew Les was innocent but Mick persuaded her to lie for him and give a false statement, threatening her marriage to Curly.

A Granada TV spokeswoman said: "There has been a huge miscarriage but then this is Les we are talking about. It is a great story and has included some of the most popular characters from the show."