Vandals have begun blowing up parking meters ahead of a controversial pay-and-display scheme being introduced.

Four machines in the Eastbourne area have been destroyed over the past month.

Three in Beachy Head Road have been damaged by small explosions and another was destroyed in Butts Brow, Willingdon.

Police are investigating if it is a pre-emptive strike ahead of the introduction of a proposed paid for parking scheme.

East Sussex County Council has applied to the Government for the power to enforce parking regulations Eastbourne.

From October everyone could have to pay to park in the town centre and on the seafront.

Inp Nick Porter, of Sussex Police, said: "It is the first and hopefully the last attack on parking meters in Eastbourne.

"It seems as though there was some sort of rook scarer explosive being used.

"They've put it in the coin return slot and when it was set off it exploded.

"I don't think it is to take money - it is to make a protest.

"There is an ongoing investigation but nobody has been arrested.

"We are linking it with those in Lewes because of the way they are carried out but we cannot say for certain if it was the same people."

Eastbourne Borough Council's Liberal Democrat administration opposes the parking scheme and it was a key issue in the May elections.

The borough council, which operates the meters, is considering using covert surveillance to catch the vandals.

A council spokesman said: "We are aware that a number of our pay parking machines at Beachy Head and Butts Brow have been damaged through explosive device during the last month or so.

"The damage to machines, which has been fairly minimal, has been caused by someone igniting a firework in the coin tray.

"This is totally unacceptable behaviour and we understand that the police are actively pursuing this."

Frustrated motorists have continued targeting parking meters in Lewes and caused £1,800 damage on a machine in Mountfield Road.

It was the 187th attack on parking meters in Lewes since they were introduced in October 2004 but nobody has ever been charged by police.

A spokesman for the county council, which operates the meters, said: "Whoever committed this mindless crime should know that they risk jail.

"So far it has cost more than £300,000 and this has to be recovered through higher charges for permits and for pay and display parking.

"It also means that any surplus income which would have been spent on local transport improvements just will not be there."

The county council and Lewes District Council have put up a £5,000 reward for information leading to the prosecution of the vandals.