WITH VIDEO: An atheist has been inspired to ‘preach’ to people about why God does not exist in the centre of Brighton.

Simon Clare took up his post in Brighton city centre on Saturday and preached about everything but God.

Mr Clare, 34, told police and council about his plans, before setting out to spread his atheist message – cementing Brighton and Hove’s title as Britain’s “most godless city”.

Mr Clare said he had no intention of offending anyone but added that it was high time atheists spread their message too – even if that message was there is no message.

He was inspired to hold his own street sermons after walking past the Plymouth Brethren Meeting House in Burgess Hill every day on his way to his job as a civil engineer.

Mr Clare, of Cromwell Road, Hove, said: “I was told by a Christian that if I believed in evolution then my life was meaningless. Well I disagree. You can be a nice person and your life can have meaning if you don’t believe in God.

“When people are preaching you don’t get a right of reply. So I thought by preaching back I was having my reply.

“I just say completely positive statements about why I don’t need a religion. I don’t think that atheists try hard enough to explain what it is about.

“I will explain to people about evolution and science and discuss the finite nature of our lives.

“I already feel I have won a cosmic lottery – I don’t feel I need more. I was nervous but some of the Plymouth Brethren are shy guys and they manage it.”

Brighton was named the UK’s most godless city after the 2001 Census results were published.

A quarter of people in Brighton specifically ticked the ‘no religion’ box, the highest proportion in the country, and only 1.5% of the city population went to church, compared with 7% nationally.