A "sea of rubbish" disappeared overnight after residents, hoteliers and traders got in touch with The Argus demanding an immediate clean-up.

For much of last week, Kemp Town, Brighton, seemed to have returned to the days of last year's strike when the rubbish collection system was in chaos.

Binbags once again lay strewn in streets and piled up against the doorways of shops, hotels, business and homes.

Seagulls ripped open the bags, leaving discarded food lying on the pavements.

Tom Mannouch, secretary of the St James's Street Traders Association, who manages the Thresher off licence in St James's Street, said: "Although the binmen are now beginning to clear up, it has been awful.

'It was only after people began ringing The Argus demanding action that the place began to get cleared.

"The piles of rubbish were the first thing people talked about when they came into the shop.

"I know the binmen have been trying to catch up but this part of Brighton should not have been allowed to get into this state.

"Goodness knows what people visiting Kemp Town for the week thought. As they left their hotels they had to negotiate bags of rubbish.

"The system of rubbish collection needs to be sorted to ensure this does not happen again. We were promised a better service when the city council took over the rubbish collection service last year but nothing has changed.

"We've got the same problems but different faces failing to sort them out. The council should pay the binmen the extra wages they deserve to ensure Kemp Town is not submerged in a sea of rubbish every bank holiday"

Photographer Tony Tree, who lives in Millfield Cottages off Sudeley Place, said: "Kemp Town has been in the most awful state the past week.

"There was no collection this week from a large part of Kemp Town.

"Plastic bags get split by gulls and the contents spill everywhere. The smell has been appalling.

"I was not intending to take photographs of the rubbish but as I walked to the shops I just had to take these pictures.

"I am appalled by the lack of concern by the council. The work St George's Road and St James's Street traders have put into regenerating the area seems to have been put back years.

"It seems the only way to get things done is to ring up The Argus and shame the council into doing something they should have done in the first place.

"It is not the fault of the binmen, who do a terrific job round here. It is the fault of those who organise the rounds."

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "The council widely advertised that we were making different arrangements for refuse collection following the jubilee holiday weekend.

"We asked residents with a Monday collection to put their refuse out on the Saturday prior to the Monday holiday.

"Residents with a Tuesday collection should have put their rubbish out on the following Wednesday.

"Wednesday's collection moved to Thursday and so on. Full catch-up was expected by last Saturday.

"Unfortunately, many people didn't see the information or forgot that different arrangements were being made.

"Consequently many people put their refuse out on the regular collection day.

"We're looking for a better arrangement to advise people of their collection days following bank holidays."