Pensioners in sheltered housing claim they are being targeted by a gruesome prankster who dumps gory animal parts outside their doors.

Entrails and other bits of rotting flesh have been left in the grounds of Ellis Gordon Court, Newhaven, on numerous occasions in the last six weeks - leaving many of elderly residents too afraid to leave their homes.

Edna Garrick, 77, said: "There were shoulders of meat and we thought it was lamb. Then we saw some pigs' trotters. We thought it was all finished when there was nothing one weekend but then it started up again. We have had four sets of lungs now. It's just revolting lumps of flesh.

"We don't know where it is coming from. It always appears in exactly the same spot even though the garden is quite big."

Other macabre finds have included livers and even a set of intestines. On Saturday an 82-year-old man discovered a full set of lungs on the lawn. Residents have taken photographs and contacted the police.

Mrs Garrick said: "The police say it is coming from within the building but that is absolute nonsense. Most people living here don't have the strength to lift their own shopping, never mind throw a huge lump of meat outside in the middle of the night. I don't believe it would be anyone here.

"The police also said foxes could have brought it and are using the garden as their larder but that doesn't make sense. Foxes don't only work at weekends. This always happens on Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays.

"A few of us have said we should stand guard and see what happens but it's very difficult as it's in the middle of the night."

A Sussex Police officer visited the scene on April 11 and concluded the meat was being placed there to feed foxes and possibly fox cubs.

Sergeant Kevin Owen, of Newhaven Police, said: "As far as the police are concerned, it would appear someone in the area is feeding foxes and there is nothing sinister about it."

Grandmother Maureen Temple, 71, said: "It happens in the early hours, about 3am. One of the residents said they heard a thud but couldn't get out of bed to look out of the window.

"This isn't the work of a fox. This is like bits from an abattoir. You can't just go and buy organs from a local butcher."

Margaret Beith, 78, said: "My window faces right on to the lawn where the meat is and it's horrible.

"There are flies and worms that just cover it until the birds take it away. You can smell it as well."

Some organs have been collected by the warden and placed in the freezer. They are being sent for analysis to Lewes District Council's environmental health department.

The 82-year-old man who discovered the lungs on Saturday said: "Almost every morning for the past six weeks or longer there have been lumps of meat out here. It looks like cut meat.

"No one understands it."