Battling residents have handed a petition to the council demanding a subway is either brightened up or closed down.

People in North Moulsecoomb, Brighton, have been campaigning for more than a year but say their calls have fallen on deaf ears.

The pedestrian subway runs under the busy A270 Lewes Road, between the North Moulsecoomb estate and Coldean, Brighton, and is used for access to shops on the Coldean side.

But they say it is an outdated eyesore and residents have complained they feel unsafe using the dimly-lit tunnel and want it improved or shut.

Mother-of-two Mandy Chapman, 37, of Barcombe Road, where the subway is sited, collected more than 90 signatures from just a few houses at one end of her road.

She started the petition because she felt those who had the power to make a difference were failing to listen.

She said: "The subway has been set alight, there's only one light in it, people dump rubbish in it, there were two cars dumped in it at one time and people have been letting fireworks off in it.

"Enough is enough, nothing is happening and something awful will happen down there one day if they don't do something."

The petition was being handed to Brighton and Hove City Councillors at its full council meeting yesterday.

Calls for the subway to be brightened up or closed up have come from both the North Moulsecoomb Residents' Association and the North Moulsecoomb Place Making group, which was set up under the New Deal for Communities project.

Both organisations are now trying to get some action from New Deal or the city council to deal with the subway.

Hamish MacKenzie, who serves on both the residents' association and the Place Making team, said: "We're going to survey the residents to ask them if they want it closed down and a crossing put in over the road, but there have been some accidents on the road because it is very busy, but something has to be done."

Brighton and Hove City Council traffic bosses sent a letter to MP David Lepper in February this year saying the issue was to be dealt with by New Deal and suggested the installation of CCTV cameras in the subway or the closing of it completely.

John Mitchell, community safety team leader for the New Deal area, said: "We're aware of the local concern about the subway and it's one which we fully understand.

"The New Deal committee and community safety team are working with police and local residents to decide the best course of action."