A fly-on-the-wall TV series about the police has come under fire for damaging the tourist trade.

The first episode of Brighton Bill graphically portrayed scenes of violence and drunkenness in the city.

City centre manager Tony Mernagh has questioned why the programme was made and warned it could undo work done to promote Brighton as a place worth visiting.

He said: "There are a great many agencies in the town that promote its image and present it as an attractive and safe place to visit. One programme like this obviously undoes a great deal of that work."

The BBC1 series follows the activities of Brighton police as they deal with issues as diverse as homophobic attacks, drug offenders and domestic violence.

Incidents depicted in last week's opening programme included the aftermath of a stabbing, police breaking up a brawl, a dog handler helping make an arrest and the forcible restraint of an "exceptionally violent" bail hostel resident.

Viewers were told the stabbing was linked to a series of vicious assaults over two years "including the rape of a tourist".

They also heard last year police in Brighton attended nearly 800 incidents involving weapons and last summer violent crime doubled over figures for the year before.

Viewers learned a police van patrolled the city on Friday and Saturday nights crewed by officers whose brief is to respond to violent crime.

On violence, one officer told the programme: "I think it's a case of you have to deal with it so much in your job, especially in Brighton, you have to get on with it."

Another said: "We are chasing our tail and that is the biggest pressure. We are never ahead of the game."

Mr Mernagh said: "The unfortunate thing about this programme is it doesn't show the overwhelming majority of visitors to Brighton come here, have a good time and go home not having been the victim of any crime whatsoever and, as such, it doesn't give a very balanced view of the city."

Geoff Draper, chairman of The Lanes Traders Association, said: "I suspect that in order to gain viewer interest they highlighted the more seedy, violent and grotesque side of Brighton and Hove. I would hope that we are seen in a better light in future programmes."

A Sussex Police spokesman said the force had no editorial control over Brighton Bill but had agreed to work with the BBC over a number of months to show the reality of policing the city.

He said: "We are not seeking to suggest in any way that Brighton is any worse or any way less attractive than any other town in Sussex.

"Judging by the first episode, Brighton Bill reflected the reality of policing in Brighton and the strains officers are under in doing the job."

The second programme in the series will be shown tonight.