Residents of Embassy Court, the landmark art deco block of flats in Brighton, are horrified by recent calls for their home to be demolished.

The block - one of the most prominent buildings on Brighton seafront - has fallen into disrepair, prompting mounting hostility and calls for its demolition.

It may be a rotting hulk to the outside observer but for residents it is among the most beautiful buildings in the world.

Like many of the people living in one of Brighton's most controversial seafront landmarks, Tanya Litvinov says it should be embraced and not derided.

Mrs Litvinov, 83, an artist and retired translator, lives in Embassy Court by choice.

She loves the stunning view from her eighth-floor modernist apartment and the airiness of the rooms.

Despite the dilapidated appearance of the block, with crumbling concrete walls, rusting pipes and missing glass from the walkway windows, Mrs Litvinov says Brighton and Hove is privileged to own it.

She said: "I grew up in Hampstead in London and this building is very similar to many of the sought-after homes there.

"If it had been built there then everybody would want to live there. Here they just want to knock it down.

"The views are stunning and the building itself has an interesting character. It would be wonderful if it was restored."

Residents complain that the pipes leak and the heating only works for a few months during the winter before it is turned off centrally.

They say they don't even have control over their own hot water - but that does not stop many of them loving the building.

Embassy Court was designed and built by Canadian architect Wells Coates, a disciple of Bauhaus architecture.

His work certainly inspired resident Matt Ridsdale, 27, a furniture designer. He shares with two friends, including an IT programmer and a web designer.

He said: "Wells Coates designed these flats and they are architecturally renowned the world over. I love the architecture. In its original state, it must have been amazing and it still could be.

"People seem to think this place is full of heroin users but that could not be further from the truth.

"When people find out I live here they say, 'How can you do that?' but then I tell them about its history and they suddenly think its pretty cool."