Dozens of campaigners clashed with workmen in a protest over trees being chopped down.

People climbed trees behind Highdown Road, Hove, and demonstrated from the branches to stop contractors with chainsaws felling them.

Some children joined in the action today but were taken away as the row became heated.

Officers from British Transport Police were at the scene and a police helicopter monitored the demonstration from the air.

They arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of theft in connection with the protest.

Householders waved placards calling for the trees' protection and giant banners hung from people's windows.

Network Rail sent a team to clear trees the embankment between the tunnel and Montefiore bridge in Hove.

It said the work was necessary to stop trees being blowing on to the line, causing a possible derailment.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Network Rail only removes trees and other vegetation when there is a very clear safety reason for doing so.

"Safety is our first priority and these trees are compromising the integrity of the steep-sided railway cutting and are a hazard to trains and railway infrastructure.

"The cutting is so steep that any falling tree or branch could potentially land on the track and cause a derailment or other serious incident.

"Trees are not allowed to fall across motorways, airport runways or power transmission lines and railways are no different."

But householders in Highdown Road and Addison Road, which back on to the rail cutting, say the clearance could destabilise the embankment and coppicing the vegetation would be better.

Kaye Shane, of Save The Trees, said yesterday: "They are chopping down elms and not caring about what they taking out.

"They are using chainsaws and then roping the trees down the embankments and chipping them.

"It looks like they are removing healthy elms, too, and they have been here for at least 30 years.

"Some of the protesters are in the trees trying to save them and it's quite rowdy. They've got whistles and blowers.

Daniel Weiner, of Addison Road, said: "What is happening to the trees is very disturbing for the people who live around here and Network Rail have managed the situation badly."

Millie Ferguson, of Save The Trees, said: "We have it on good authority that this will create a danger to the track from falling chalk debris and will affect the wildlife of the area. It's like ecological vandalism.

"What we want is phased coppicing to ensure that lose matter will not fall on the railways and no habitats will be destroyed."

Save The Trees commissioned two studies about the embankment, its structure and wildlife.

One was carried out by Broad Oak Tree Consultants and the other by Rory Mortimore, a professor in engineering geology at the University of Brighton.

The reports recommended coppicing as an alternative to chopping down the trees.

Celia Barlow MP was unsuccessful in trying to get the chief executive of the Railway Inspectorate to serve a prohibition notice on the works.

He said Network Rail had consulted several specialists before agreeing the work and had liaised with residents and city council.

He said some of the elms had Dutch Elm disease and the herbicide needed to clear areas of thick vegetation was not harmful to wildlife, pets or humans.

Network Rail also plans to tidy-up the area, where illegal fly-tipping has been a problem.