Police are for the first time asking people to help fight drink licence bids they say will bring drunks back to a booze hotspot.

Sussex Police have never before asked individuals to join them to lobby against licences.

Brighton and Hove police, the city council and other agencies spent a year clearing drunks from Norfolk Square, off Western Road, Brighton.

The campaign won police and its partners a national award but there are fears the boozers are about to return.

Several off-licences near the square have applied for licences to open 24 hours and sell super-strong lagers and cider.

Police are worried the move will send the square back to the dark days of drunkenness, crime and abuse for residents and businesses.

Last night, the city police urged the public and traders to join them in their campaign.

A police spokeswoman said: "We want to hear from any local residents or businesses in the area who would like to co-operate with police in formulating representations against proposed changes to existing licensing restrictions for a number of off-licences.

"Several in the vicinity are seeking to amend current licensing conditions to allow them to sell super-strength beer, lager and cider 24 hours a day.

"Police are concerned that the area will return to its previous state where it was the regular haunt of large groups of street drinkers.

"Residents' lives and businesses where blighted by daily occurrences of drunken and sometimes violent behaviour.

"This situation was successfully tackled in 2004/5 by the police and the anti-social behaviour team at Brighton and Hove City Council working with residents to identify and prosecute key individuals.

"Anti-social behaviour orders were issued.

"This work has made a dramatic difference and won a national award for combating anti-social behaviour, the Home Office's Tilley Award."

The spokeswoman said the Border Store at 2 Western Road had applied under new laws introduced in the autumn to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

She said: "The council licensing committee put a condition on the licence that no extra-strength beers could be sold and also restricted opening hours for alcohol to 7am to 2am.

"The owner of the Border Store is appealing against the council to Brighton magistrates in March to have the condition against selling extra-strength beers removed."

The Argus contacted the store but was told the owner was away on holiday.

Police also said St George's Store at 139a Western Road had applied to extend his existing alcohol licence to open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The police spokeswoman said: "We are asking that no super-strength beers be sold and an express condition that the shop will not sell alcohol to known street drinkers.

"The proprietor is refusing to accept either condition and the case goes to a council licensing committee on Monday."

This was denied when The Argus spoke to George Phillips who runs St George's Store.

He said: "We support the police in what they are trying to do and assure them we would not sell super-strong beers to Norfolk Square drinkers. We have tried to compromise.

"Strong beers would be locked away in a fridge and we are prepared not to sell them between midnight and 6am - the times when troubles often happened in the square."

Businesses or residents wanting to join police opposition should contact David Bateup, police licensing officer, on 0845 6070999.