I walked to my local shops in Hove with my four-year-old son recently only to find a great deal of litter about.

There were various items such as cigarette packets, crisp packets, yoghurt pots and cereal boxes.

I have brought up my son to put litter in the bin. Even my 18-month-old will see litter on the floor, pick it up and place it in a bin.

During my trip, I was asked the question by my son, “Daddy, why is there lots of rubbish on the floor?”

A question I could only answer with, “There must be lots of naughty people round here, son.”

How can I teach my son that it’s wrong to throw litter on the floor when he sees litter all over the street every time he leaves the house?

I have worked as a police officer in many struggling parts of London – there does not seem to be the same level of mess in these places.

I pay a great deal of council tax, like everyone else, and don’t expect to see large amounts of litter every time I leave my house.

My father from Harrogate in North Yorkshire is coming to visit me soon.

It is a pleasure to visit Harrogate, which is streets apart from those of Hove.

To be honest I am quite frankly embarrassed to bring my father to my house as I know this will be one of the first things he comments on.

The problem has become worse since we have gone to having two communal bins at the end of each road. There have been a number of occasions when these have been full, resulting in people leaving their bin bags by the bin.

In cases like this, seagulls or foxes rip bags open and cause litter to go everywhere.

I appreciate this is a cash- saving exercise, but we should not have to suffer because of it.

Why is it that other areas have their own bin?

I cannot remember the last time I saw an employee of the council clearing up.

This has gone on for too long now. Neither my family nor others should have to put up with this any longer.

Ben Fordham, Livingstone Road, Hove