Traders fear new lamp-posts could topple on shoppers when high winds next batter their street.

Brighton and Hove Council is spending more than £250,000 to revamp a section of the road between Montpelier Road and Holland Road in Hove.

Three new pedestrian crossings are being installed at the junctions of Western Road with Lansdowne Place, Upper Market Street and Temple Street.

But some shopkeepers in Western Road are concerned about the new lamp-posts.

Sandy Cropper, who runs the Florian florist, said people were worried about their safety.

She said: "These new things look like Chinese hats and people are worried they will not withstand pressure from high winds."

She said people had seen them wobble during stiff gusts and feared they could injure people.

Ms Cropper said: "They do swing a bit when it is windy. The fear is they might come down during the winds and could end up on the road if we are not careful."

Pravin Limbachia, proprietor of Western News, said: "I have noticed that when there is a wind they do shake a bit.

"This would be hazardous if the weather that we have had for the last few days is repeated. They might fall down or anything could happen."

A Brighton and Hove Council spokeswoman said: "We are quite happy that the lamp-posts are up to the job and we carefully researched the street furniture that was available.

"We felt that these look good and that they are perfectly adequate for the purpose.

"We would like to reassure people that they will not be a problem."