RESIDENTS are creating a photographic diary of daily incursions by lorries which they say are putting old buildings and the health of youngsters at risk.

St Aubyns Field Evergreen campaign group is logging every unwelcome intrusion by large articulated lorries into Rottingdean in a bid to secure police and local authority action against the disruption.

The increase in oversized vehicles using the village’s tight streets is being blamed on drivers unfamiliar with the area relying on their sat-navs to reach their destination.

The campaign follows an incident last month when a 20 metre-lorry became wedged against a 300-year-old cottage in the High Street for two hours.

Residents with cameras have managed to capture examples of seven unsuitably sized lorries in just over a week in which the drivers have not adhered to traffic signs directing them to use Wilson Avenue.

Campaigners are pushing for CCTV cameras in the village hoping to identify offending lorry drivers.

Rottingdean Coastal councillor Mary Mears said that articulated lorries were among 14,000 vehicles using Rottingdean High Street everyday causing some of the worst air pollution in the whole city.

She said that the air quality was only likely to deteriorate with several housing developments proposed for the area while the partial closure of the A259 next week for roadworks could see the village “inundated” with lorries.

Road signs at the Downs Hotel junction in Woodingdean advise 7.5 tonne vehicles and above not to head into Rottingdean but use Warren Way instead.

Coun Mears said more signage from Brighton and Hove City Council would be one way to try and tackle the problem.

She added: “We have a lot of very, very old buildings in the high street, old cottages, many with basements, and all those vibrations from lorries are not very good for their structure.

“In the confined High Street there is nowhere for the fumes to go and we have problems with children in buggies with asthma and chest complaints.

“The problem with articulated lorries from outside the area are relying on sat navs which is taking them down Rottingdean High Street.

“The road cannot take the volume or the size of the vehicles.”

For more details on the campaign visit safe-rottingdean.org.uk.