A HERITAGE society has called for greater action to tackle graffiti as city centre bus shelters have been repeatedly targeted by vandals.

Photos show the listed bus shelters outside the Royal Pavilion in the Old Steine in Brighton plastered with new graffiti tags across the windows.

Writing on Twitter, the Brighton Society said the city council is "losing the battle to protect heritage" and has called on the public to help catch vandals in the act.

Sussex Police said the photos of the new graffiti tags have been "passed to the relevant team".

The Brighton Society, which monitors graffiti cases in the city, has said tagging accelerated during the coronavirus lockdown and described the level of vandalism as "appalling".

Last year the group photographed graffiti tags all over the city, including the bus shelters in the Old Steine, and on the walls of Brighton Dome.

Brighton and Hove City Council is responsible for removing graffiti if it is offensive or on public property.

Environmental enforcement officers can issue £150 fixed penalty notices if graffiti vandals are caught in the act, and a graffiti hotline was also set up by the council last year.

Residents can call 01273 295063 to report graffiti taggers in action to increase the chances of officers catching them.