Drunks who intimidate passers-by and have sex in public have prompted a council to remove a public bench and bus shelter.

Brighton residents complained that the bench had been taken over by groups of drinkers who would sit on it all day in an inebriated state.

Brighton and Hove City Council responded and removed the bench in London Road about three weeks ago.

But the boozers then moved into one of the three seated shelters that line the road.

A resident from Coldean, Brighton, contacted The Argus to complain about them saying they were scaring off bus users, many of them elderly.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: "On Saturday afternoon there were two of them having sex in the shelter.

"Everyone was astonished. It's disgusting. What must visitors to the city think when they are on buses going along the London Road."

The woman, who catches a bus daily from the London Road stop to her work place in Patcham, said: "It is so degrading. They went into one of the shops the other day and were refused alcohol and the argument spilled out onto the pavement. It is intimidating for people using the buses."

A spokesman for the council said it had the bench removed because of complaints from the public about the street drinkers monopolising it.

He added that the council was also aware that they had taken over the bus shelter and said it was due to be removed.

The spokesman said: "There are three shelters along there and we have found the buses have difficulty pulling into that area because of the middle bus stop, so that one will be removed."

She said it would be unlikely the drinkers would take over the remaining two shelters as they were always packed with bus users.