A businessman has demanded more police on a Brighton estate after his shop was targeted by vandals and thieves.

Bernard Bird, owner of Bird Plumbing and Heating, in Bevendean, said no action has been taken to stop youths causing trouble outside his shop in Upper Bevendean Avenue.

Now his shop has also been burgled and he said he has had no response from police.

Mr Bird had £2,000 worth of equipment and materials stolen on March 9.

He reported it to police but said no officers came out to see him about it.

Mr Bird said: "They never came and sorted it out. All we got was a crime number. They should have been taking fingerprints. There were footprints as well."

It is the latest in a long line of problems he has experienced on the estate.

In October, pensioner Joan Jones, who rents the flat above Mr Bird's shop, escaped injury when burning paper was pushed through the letter box.

Mr Bird had already installed a metal box behind the letter box because youngsters kept urinating and pushing burning matches through it.

He said they have kicked footballs against his shop window and nearby bus stops and strewn litter about the place.

But he said up to 30 youngsters still congregate outside the parade of shops because they use the take away next to his shop.

Mr Bird said: "We want CCTV cameras here. We need more police presence here in the evenings. There has got to be someone here on the beat and someone to sort these kids out."

Chief Inspector Lance Gray, who is responsible for the Bevendean area, said officers were investigating Mr Bird's burglary and officers do regularly patrol the area.

He said: "Regrettably Mr Bird has been the victim of a burglary and inquiries are still continuing with the intention of identifying the offenders.

"Officers from scenes of crime made the correct decision that there would be no forensic value in visiting the address. This is a decision they are faced with regularly and each decision is made after individual assessment.

"Officers will continue to respond to and address matters of crime in and around the Bevendean area."