First residents were told to remove their doormats.

Now tenants have been ordered to take down pictures and bin their pot plants, all in the name of health and safety risk.

People living in Noble Court, Hove, have been told by Hyde Housing Association they must clear their communal walkways as they pose a fire risk.

But the tenants, who claim they were notified of the decision verbally, brandished the decision as “political correctness” gone mad.

It follows Brighton and Hove City Council issuing a diktat to its tenants telling them to remove their doormats for similar reasons.

Resident Tony Diamond, 60, said: “It’s ridiculous and clearly political correctness gone mad."

A spokeswoman for Hyde said: “To ensure the safety and security of our residents we recently conducted a fire safety review which advised that communal walkways should be kept clear from personal effects.”

She added this was a group wide policy, so would affect all of the company’s housing blocks throughout Sussex.

A spokesman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the building’s operators were responsible for implementing a fire safety plan to meet guidelines.

He added the service was unable to comment on individual cases until after routine inspections were carried out as part on a rolling programme.