Cast iron bus shelters have been given a stay of execution after a swift campaign was mounted to save them.

People living in the Brunswick area of Hove were horrified when council workers began pulling down the shelters in Palmeira Square on Tuesday and managed to stop the work in its tracks.

Many contacted ward councillor Paul Elgood to complain. He discovered the council was in the process of replacing the three shelters with new ones as part of Palmeira Square's regeneration scheme.

Residents were consulted about work to improve road crossings and make the area around Floral Clock more attractive. However, they claim they were not asked about the shelters, which council officers have decided to replace because they let in rain, have no seating and are unlit.

In the mid-Nineties, heritage groups fought to replace plastic shelters with the iron versions, which were designed to fit in with the conservation area.

They said they were prepared to put up with a bit of rain for the sake of keeping up appearances. But the council said the new shelters were also designed to complement the area, had been used successfully in Sussex Square and on the seafront and had been approved by the council's conservation team.

Coun Elgood said: "Since the work started, I have received numerous complaints from concerned residents who don't want to see the old shelters go.

"I spoke to officers and managed to negotiate a stay of execution.

"Work has been halted pending consultation with residents.

"The two shelters that have been taken down are in storage and the one that is still there will not be removed for now."

Coun Elgood hopes a final decision will be made today. Nigel Furnass, 56, of Cambridge Road, Hove, said: "Is nothing sacred?

"The Friends of Palmeira Square fought long and hard to get rid of the shelters displaying advertising and get special iron ones put in their place.

"We do all this hard work for the love of the area and expend so much effort trying to help the council with these schemes and it gets thrown back in our face."

But Paul Mitchell, 75, of Brunswick Square, said: "I actually don't like the bogus heritage look of the cast iron shelters and prefer the modern ones."

A council spokeswoman said: "The previous shelters were Nineties reproduction.

"The new shelters are not only designed to fit in with the heritage environment but will be much more accessible."