Residents want new parking rules to stop their streets being swamped by motorists escaping parking restrictions elsewhere.

The call came at a public meeting attended by more than 120 people living in the Goldsmid area of Hove last night.

A show of hands revealed an overwhelming majority wanted a residents' parking scheme introduced. The area currently has free parking.

The meeting was organised by Labour councillor Vince Meegan and held at St Mary and St Abraham Coptic Orthodox Church in Davigdor Road.

Also attending were Tory councillors Jenny Langston and Jayne Bennett, city parking officer Dick Davey-Thomas, and Labour councillor Alison Hermitage.

Last year, residents turned down the offer of restrictions after a consultation carried out by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Coun Meegan said since then he had been inundated with letters complaining about commuters' cars using up spaces near Hove station while other non-residents left their cars in free parking areas for weeks on end.

Many at the meeting said the original consultation put too much emphasis on pay-and-display parking, which was not considered enough of a deterrent.

Coun Meegan said: "Although it is a relatively short time since the ward rejected the idea of a parking scheme, the more rigorous enforcement of parking regulations and overspill from other areas has caused major inconvenience."