They won't need central heating or running water, but they might make a mess on the walls.

Hundreds of starlings which swarm around the West Pier in Brighton could soon be living in a specially-constructed house. That's if Richard Vahrman gets his way.

The 48-year-old birdwatcher says a home should be created in the sea for the birds who will have nowhere to go when the pier is renovated.

Richard, of Brunswick Terrace, Hove, said: "Watching the starlings is so enjoyable.

"Lots of them roost on the pier. But they are quite fickle and when the pier is renovated they could move off because of the noise.

"They are decreasing in numbers, like a lot of common birds."

He wants a house built in the sea and fitted to a post so the starlings have somewhere to go.

Mr Vahrman, who runs his own web design company, said he planned to tie in his plea with an exhibition in the New Year.

He said: "I am going to ask schoolchildren to see how they would plan the future of these birds.

"I will ask them how they would design a house for them. I will also ask people studying architecture at Brighton University if they can help with the design.

"Starlings are great to see. They should have somewhere a reasonable distance from the pier."