Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was heckled by placard-waving protesters today during a visit to Sussex.

The demonstrators were pro-hunt campaigners from the Countryside Alliance who chanted "Ban the ban" and "Go home Mr Prescott."

However, Mr Prescott turned on his heels and ignored them as he arrived to announce a £21 million expansion of the Government's drive to revitalise some of the most deprived communities. The South-East will receive almost £900,000 for street wardens and about £100,000 for street crime wardens.

He arrived in Hastings before moving on to St Leonards which is benefiting from £400 million to drag it from years of decline.

The Deputy PM was first visiting the Shipwreck Heritage Museum in the Old Town accompanied by Hastings and Rye Labour MP Michael Foster.

He was then moving on to the Robsack Community Centre in Hollington, a deprived part of St Leonards blighted by high teenage pregnancy rates.

Mr Prescott was finishing his morning-long visit in the 1066 town to see how regeneration plans are taking shape in the town centre.

The Hastings and Bexhill Task Force has been moulding striking plans including building a new university, shops, offices and flats to turn the resort's once-ailing fortunes around.