A pensioner's complaint about dangerous holes in disabled parking bays has prompted a council to act - by removing the bays.

The bays on either side of the King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove have been used by disabled drivers for decades but had fallen into disrepair.

Retired solicitor Alexander Dodd, of Shirley Drive, Hove, wrote to Brighton and Hove City Council asking it to fill in the holes in Kingsway which he said had become dangerous for users.

A highways officer wrote back, saying the bays were not officially on the highway but formed part of the leisure centre.

Mr Dodd received a second letter from an arts and leisure officer who said the bays would have to be taken out of use altogether, as there was no money to resurface them within the existing budget.

Mr Dodd, 86, said: "I just couldn't believe what I was reading. I wrote to the council asking them to fix these bays and they write back telling me not only are they not going to fix them but they are going to take them away altogether.

"It's a crying disgrace this area should be lost for disabled people. To tell us we can no longer use these bays simply because they don't want to put a bit of asphalt down is just ridiculous.

"These bays have been used by disabled people for at least 30 years and since my wife and I became disabled we have parked there regularly.

"It has been very useful as I can't walk more than 200 yards but I do like to stroll along the seafront."

A council spokesman said it had no choice but to close the bays as it could not afford the £6,000 needed to repair them, especially as the entire site was due for redevelopment.

He added: "Departments are having to watch every penny at the moment so it's not possible to fund unexpected things like this.

"Spending money on a building likely to disappear in the medium term is seen as particularly wasteful.

"As we could be liable for any accidents caused by the surface we have no choice but to shut them.

"It's a shame for Mr Dodd and others that his complaint has forced us to remove the facility and we're sorry for the inconvenience."