Campaigners are to take their dogs to the steps of a town hall to protest over plans to build a park-and-ride scheme on the site of an animal rescue centre.

Brighton and Hove City Council is to meet next Thursday to discuss the proposal, which would mean concreting over a field at Patcham.

Protesters claim the scheme - being put forward as a solution to Brighton's parking problems - would mean the death of large swathes of wildlife.

They will present a petition containing more than 5,300 signatures - one of the largest raised in the city - to councillors.

The petition was launched by staff and supporters of the RSPCA at Braypool Lane, Patcham, which could be forced to close if the scheme went ahead.

The proposal is to create a park and ride site for 900 cars at Patcham Court Farm or Braypool playing field.

The Patcham Court Farm site is occupied by six homes, 35 allotments and derelict farm buildings and the Braypool playing field site is adjacent to the RSPCA shelter.

Frances Lindsay-Hills, chairwoman of the Sussex, Brighton and East Grinstead RSPCA, said: "5,300 people have signed to tell the council the RSPCA animal shelter is more important than a park and ride car park.

"A park and ride on Braypool playing fields will deprive the kennels of the area essential for exercising the animals in their care."

The proposal for a site in Patcham is being fought by residents throughout Patcham and supporters of the RSPCA, including The X Factor's Simon Cowell whose mother Julie, 80, from Ovingdean, supports the centre.

Residents formed Patcham Against Insensitive and Destructive Development to oppose the proposal.

Supporters of the kennels and their dogs will be outside Brighton Town Hall when the petition is handed over.

More than 3,000 animals every year find themselves unwanted and taken into the shelter at Patcham.

The RSPCA at Patcham is stressing the council will have a problem in the future housing stray dogs if the park and ride is built on the Braypool playing field as the council will soon be taking responsibility for stray dogs from the police.