Protesters can see light at the end of the tunnel in their campaign to improve safety in a dingy subway.

Residents in North Moulsecoomb and Coldean in Brighton have battled for more than a year to get Brighton and Hove City Council to either brighten up or shut up the Barcombe Road subway, which runs under the busy A270 Lewes Road.

They compiled a petition and branded the subway an outdated, unsafe eyesore.

Mother-of-two Mandy Chapman, 37, of Barcombe Road, collected more than 90 signatures from houses at one end of her road.

She started the petition because she felt the council was failing to listen to complaints about the underpass.

Now the city council has agreed to work with New Deal for Communities, a Government scheme to improve areas like East Brighton, to improve the subway.

A public meeting has been called by the North Moulsecoomb Tenants and Residents Association and the local Placemaking community group to discuss improvement plans.

A sub-committee has also been formed to rally help to enlist young people to paint the subway with artwork.

Mrs Chapman said: "At last something will be done. All we need now is people to help. We want people to come to the meeting to discuss the proposals."

One possibility is improving lighting and building barriers to force cyclists to dismount before entering the subway.

A city council spokeswoman said a survey of the subway was being carried out.

She added: "We are hoping New Deal, working in partnership with the council, will ensure the subway is well lit, with perhaps a mural painted.

"We hope New Deal will contribute some funding, particularly for the decorative part."

The public meeting will be held at St George's Hall, Newick Road, Moulsecoomb, on December 11 at 7pm. All are welcome.