An artist was forced to remove a display of her work after it prompted threats from unappreciative members of the public.

Passers by were offended by a doll's head and syringes on show in a window in Brighton.

They threatened to damage the house in George Street, Kemp Town, unless the piece was removed.

Cathy McDougall, 33, said the display was advertising an Open House exhibition there.

She explained the interactive show encouraged people to confess their obsessions.

The box containing the doll's head and needles represented society's love of beauty, plastic surgery and botox.

Miss McDougall, who is a careworker, said: "It may look controversial at first, but on closer inspection you can see the message we are trying to illustrate.

"Last weekend we had a young woman walk by who hit the window and several people shouting abuse as they walk by.

"A man also threatened to smash the window unless we took it away.

"We have now been forced to remove the box from the window in fear that the threats could be carried out."