Householders have launched a campaign to stop a babies' swim club operating in their street because it causes too much traffic.

Little Dippers offers swimming lessons for young children at a private house in Tongdean Road, Hove.

The Argus reported last week how the organisers have been told they need planning permission to carry on.

But residents claim the club causes bad traffic congestion and want planning permission refused.

Wilfred Wong, 73, who lives in Tongdean Road, said: "Since they moved into the road the congestion has been amazing.

"Sometimes the dust cart has problems getting down the road unless cars go up onto the verge."

A petition has been signed by 95 residents saying the road is too narrow for the volume of traffic and safety is being compromised.

Mr Wong said that as many as 14 cars belonging to Little Dippers' parents could be parked in the road at the same time because there was an overlap between people leaving one class and others arriving for the next.

Jayne Bennett, councillor for Stanford ward, who spoke against the planning application at the last planning meeting, said: "I realise that what they do is valuable but the location is completely unsuitable.

"It has been operating for quite a while without planning permission as it was originally based in Woodland Drive and had no permission there either.

"The property concerned has got a very large forecourt and it wouldn't be so bad if the cars could park there."

Little Dippers operates all over the country and more than 1,000 babies attend lessons each week, with 200 alone at the Tongdean Lane pool.

Specialists teach the babies water-safety skills on six-week or weekend courses.

Scott Sutton, manager of Little Dippers, said: "It's extremely surprising that we have generated so many problems in Tongdean Road because all the houses have their own driveways.

Council reports estimate that we have about three cars arriving for classes every half hour while three or four other parents come by foot or public transport."

He said that the company operated only between 10am and 2pm to cause the minimum amount of disruption.

The forecourt was not made available for parking because they did not want to encourage parents to come by car.

Mr Sutton said the company had tried to find other pools to operate in but had either been refused or found the facilities unsuitable.

It had moved from Woodland Drive because the owner sold their house and the new owners did not want to continue the classes.

Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee will consider the application on Wednesday.