Rodmania descended on a shopping centre as a basketball giant signed copies of his autobiography.

Hundreds of adoring fans chased 6ft 8in Dennis Rodman through Churchill Square Shopping Centre yesterday as he left after signing copies of his book called I Should Be Dead By Now.

The 44-year-old former Chicago Bulls star, who is due play his second game with Brighton Bears this evening, spent an hour meeting fans and posing for photographs, wearing his trademark Aviator sunglasses and surrounded by security staff.

Later he announced he was looking forward to meeting Brighton's "dirty girls" and that he planned to visit a lap dancing club, a dance club and Brighton gay venue Revenge.

Big-hearted Mr Rodman gave a signed shirt to tearful 12-year-old Amy Bush, of Cissbury Road, Worthing, who was at his Brighton Bears debut on Saturday, January 28.

He threw his shirt into the crowd during the match and Amy caught it, but it was snatched away by a woman sitting nearby.

During the signing Mr Rodman gave the star-struck girl a new shirt. She said: "He was really nice. I was totally in shock and didn't know what to do with myself. He's massive. I really want to see him at the next game on Tuesday."

Her mother Ness said: "It was such a nice thing for The Brighton Bears to do. Their reps at the match saw what happened and said to us they'd do something to compensate us.

"We were just blown away."

A crowd of excited autograph-hunters huddled around Mr Rodman and more fans watched from the first floor balconies.

At a press conference at The Brighton Centre later yesterday afternoon, Mr Rodman talked about his plans for the evening.

He said: "We may go to the Pussycat Club and The Honey Club, and we may just stop in Revenge.

"We just left the mall and there are a lot of kids. I've heard some interesting things about Brighton. I've heard the girls like to have a good time."

Fans Jay Allen, 24, and Rick Hills, 23, travelled from Seaford to meet the star.

Jay said: "It was fantastic and he seems like a really top bloke. He's an amazing player and he was the best one in Celebrity Big Brother.

"It's bizarre, I saw Mark Williams from The Fast Show today as well, and Patsy Palmer from EastEnders.

"The most famous person I'd ever met before today was Noel Edmonds."

Rick said: "It was brilliant to meet him. He's a legend at basketball and he kicked Jean-Claude Van Damme's backside in that film Double Team, so he gets my seal of approval."

Alyson Grabett, 13, of North Lane, Portslade, said: "He's awesome. He's really cool and really good at basketball."

Fellow Bears player Steve Parillon said: "He's getting a great reaction from everybody here."