An activist who campaigned against Brighton and Hove being made a city has been invited to meet the Queen.

The monarch granted the towns city status in December despite Valerie Paynter's protests.

Now Ms Paynter is among 300 guests invited to a reception at the Corn Exchange in Brighton when the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visit on March 29.

Ms Paynter, a leading member of Brighton and Still Hove, sent a lengthy document to the Queen opposing city status.

The group led a campaign against the move, saying Hove was in danger of losing its separate identity.

Ms Paynter, of The Drive, Hove, said: "I couldn't believe it when the invitation arrived in the post.

"As part of our campaign, we sent a hefty document to the Queen at Buckingham Palace listing our reasons why Brighton and Hove should not become a city.

"We know that she received it because we had a letter from Buckingham Palace saying that it had been forwarded to the Queen at Balmoral."

Amanda Shepherd, the city council's head of marketing, said: "The Queen's visit is not just about city status.

"She is here to visit Brighton and Hove and to meet some of the people.

"Those at the reception will include people who have given up a great deal of their time to help the community. Ms Paynter is a member of the city's private sector housing forum."