The mother of murdered teacher Jane Longhurst has called on all residents of Brighton and Hove to back a ban on web sites containing violent pornography.

Liz Longhurst, visiting the city yesterday, said: "Jane loved the Downs and the city's zany spirit. The city owes it to my daughter to get behind this campaign."

Mrs Longhurst, 73, has collected almost 25,000 signatures since February calling for such sites to be shut permanently.

She said: "I am hoping to collect 100,000 and I would appeal to every reader of The Argus to get behind it."

Brighton MPs Des Turner and David Lepper are also collecting names.

Mrs Longhurst, who lives in Reading, toured The Argus and praised the newspaper for supporting the campaign.

She said: "The Argus has done so much to raise awareness of the issue. I'd like to thank The Argus for being so supportive all along."

She believes images of necrophilia and strangulation, such as those viewed by musician Graham Coutts hours before he strangled her daughter, should be classified with child pornography and banned.

Coutts, 36, was jailed for life for murdering special needs teacher Jane, 31, on March 14 last year at his home in Waterloo Street, Hove.

Lewes Crown Court heard how Coutts viewed thousands of violent sex pictures on the internet just hours before he strangled her.

He stored Jane's body in a warehouse in Brighton before dumping and burning it at Wiggonholt Common, near Pulborough.

Coutts, who plans to appeal, was only weeks into his prison term when he was caught recommending violent sex sites to others through letters from his cell.

Mrs Longhurst welcomed the news that BT has now blocked its internet customers from accessing child pornography web sites.

The company has blocked child sexual abuse sites, which have been assessed as "illegal to view" in the UK under the 1978 Child Protection Act.

Campaigners believe the same technology could be used to stop people from viewing other violent sites.

Mrs Longhurst wants the sites outlawed in the same way as child pornography sites, with heavy penalties for offenders.

She is speaking to groups and organisations around the country on the subject and appealed to any in Sussex wanting her to talk to write to her via The Argus.