More than a fifth of people in Brighton and Hove have taken drugs as they hit the city's nightspots at the weekend.

The disturbing figures came to light during a police operation last Friday and Saturday night after hundreds of people were tested using an Ion tracking device which takes a sample from clothes and skin to detect all types of drugs.

More than 1,500 people were tested at 16 premises, including most of the nightclubs on the seafront in Brighton, and more than a fifth of those were found with traces or quantities of drugs on them.

Of those, 11 people were arrested for drug offences.

The city has been labelled the drugs death capital of Britain for three years adding to claims that the booming seaside resort, a favourite for large groups on hen and stag nights, is turning into a hot spot for violent crime.

There were 117 rapes in Brighton and Hove last year and, with 4,428 assaults, the city has shown it is the most violent in the South-East.

Brighton and Hove has more than 1,000 licensed premises, and a population of a quarter of a million people but that can treble at the weekend.

Chief Inspector Lawrence Hobbs, lead officer at Brighton and Hove's licensing unit, said: "Drugs are a serious issue in the city and this operation is part of our strategy to make nightclubs drug free and a safer environment for people to enjoy themselves.

"Drug dealers and people who use illegal drugs are very likely to be identified with the technology now available to us and we are going to be repeating these operations regularly throughout the rest of the year.

"The message is simple, don't bring drugs into the city. Even if you have handled drugs several hours beforehand it is likely you will be found out, refused entry or arrested."

The widespread problem of drug-taking has not only been seen in Brighton and Hove but across the county.

And those experimenting with drugs seem to be getting younger.

Last weekend a 14-year-old boy who was believed to have taken ecstasy was found unconscious in a phone box in Cootham, near Pulborough, by Sussex Ambulance Service.

Fortunately the boy regained consciousness after a few hours.

A spokesman for Sussex Police, who investigated the incident, said: "He was very lucky to survive, having collapsed after taking what is believed to be ecstasy. This incident highlights the very real dangers of taking drugs."