A Lewes bonfire society has agreed to stop "blacking up" in its annual Bonfire Night parade after claims that it was insulting to Zulus.

Members of the Lewes Borough Bonfire Society have been painting their faces black as part of their "Zulu" costume since the Second World War.

But they may soon "green-up" instead after a South African dance group scheduled to appear alongside them asked them to stop using the black face paint and remove other costume elements such as skulls and a dead monkey.

In messages sent to a member of the society the group's leader Thanda Gumede, 32, asked the society to consider "using a different colour that is drastically different from black? Perhaps ‘green up’ or other bright colours?"

He also asked the group to rethink the skulls and horns worn as part of the costume, which "make us look barbaric".