Pupils have been given a boost by The Argus after council bosses threatened to fine firms for publicising school fairs.

The Argus has offered Downs Infant and Junior schools free advertising space in the newspaper ahead of their fund-raising festive fete.

The Argus revealed on Saturday how Brighton and Hove City Council threatened to fine two Brighton estate agents £1,000 each unless they stopped advertising the fairs on their signs.

They also faced being charged an extra £100 for each day the adverts remained on display.

Parents and school staff feared months of work would go to waste after the council's planning department sent warning letters to Wyatt and Son and Avard Estate Agents.

In the letter, the council said the signs contravened the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992.

Avard co-owner Neil Standing said: "The council is just being a killjoy. I'm pleased the fairs will get the publicity they deserve in The Argus."

Avard, in Ditchling Road, gave £1,000 to nearby Downs Infants School to have 30 signs displayed for about four weeks.

The Wyatt deal was worth about £850 to Downs Junior School in Rugby Road.

Dominic Hultier, branch manager at Wyatt in Fiveways, said: "I'm happy to see the local newspaper is taking more of an interest in children's welfare than the local authority."

PTA members of both schools spent months clinching deals to raise money to help pupils after council budget cuts.

Both companies have agreed to pay the schools the agreed sponsorship money, despite expecting to have to take the signs down early.

The Downs Junior School fair is on Saturday and the Downs Infants School event is on December 14 between 2pm and 4pm.