Hoteliers are calling on police to remove drunks who ignore a drinking ban on Worthing seafront.

Homeowners in Marine Parade and councillors have backed the plea, saying holidaymakers are being intimidated by large groups of boozers.

The problem is continuing despite a drinking exclusion zone set up along the seafront in April by Worthing Borough Council.

Tory councillor John Livermore, who lives on the seafront, said: "The introduction of the drinking ban between Heene Road and the other end ought to be having an effect but, of course, it needs proper policing.

"If the police are not out there walking around, they are not going to see it happening."

Coun Livermore said the problem had been compounded by drink-fuelled teenagers spilling out of town centre nightclubs and going on wrecking sprees on the seafront, knocking over bollards and damaging cars.

He said: "The weekend was horrendous. A dozen concrete posts have been knocked down at the western end of Western Parade.

"The people coming out of the clubs think it's clever to knock these posts off. It's just wanton vandalism.

"But the ones who sit in the shelter are the alcoholics. They always have bags with them holding bottles of white cider and they are the biggest problem because of their way of life.

"When you get a gang of them sitting in the shelters on the promenade they are highly intimidating. I called the police several weeks ago because it was disgusting.

"They had been sleeping there in their duvets and it was an horrendous sight. It's a problem which is not going to go away by itself."

Drunks swigging from bottles and cans are a common sight in black spots such as Liverpool Gardens, Crescent Road, Splash Point and North Street.

Traders are especially concerned about the dozen or so drinkers who congregate in a beach shelter opposite West Buildings and have a child in a pram with them.

Worthing Hospitality Association was concerned the shelter was many visitors' first impression of the town as their coaches parked nearby.

Dominique Wilson, manager of the Kingsway Hotel in Marine Parade, said: "Some things have got better, but more needs to be done.

"We had a coach here last week of 45 people and one gentleman went for a walk on the front every day at 7am.

"He said he saw 20 or 30 people pouring out of the little shelters.

"We also had a problem with vandalism recently on the front. People had written ugly words and one of the buses had been smeared with egg."

The exclusion zone is bounded by Heene Road to the west, the railway line to the north, Homefield, Farncombe and Merton roads to the east, and the sea to the south.

Areas placed out of bounds include all streets, parks, open spaces, car parks, the seafront, the beach, pedestrian precincts and alleyways.

No one at Sussex Police was available for comment.