ON OUR recent return to Brighton for a holiday and opportunity to reconnect with relatives and friends, we were appalled at the quantity of rubbish accumulating in the streets of Brighton.

In some areas walking on the pavements was a safety hazard with the overspilling, uncollected rubbish bins and bags squeezed onto footpaths adjacent to tree stumps that had raised paving slabs.

Pedestrians were forced to walk into the road, sometimes around parked cars and it was impossible to walk next to each other.

We were told that if residents did not sort their rubbish correctly the refuse collectors did not empty the bins.

These stayed on the pavement week after week, a particular problem after student tenants had left for the summer break, leaving all manner of rubbish outside their rental properties.

It was fabulous to see how much renovation work is being done along the seafront and the beautiful redecoration of the Brighton Pavilion.

This however, only highlighted the mess and rubbish in all the streets along with the camp sites and mattresses occupied by homeless people.

We have spent time in Asian countries that do not have the same level of public services and are sorry to say that Brighton this September was worse in the amount of filth seen and smelled during our visit, including rats running about in broad daylight.

Brighton is selling itself as the place to be and visit but as past residents we feel for the council tax payers in the surrounding high density areas who have to put up with the inadequate services.

Margaret Neville Address supplied