Foreign students' safety curfew

The behaviour guidelines include a voluntary night-time curfew

Guidelines aimed at protecting foreign students in Eastbourne from attack will include a voluntary night-time curfew.

The council said 15,000 overseas students visited the town each year and the code would increase their safety.

Police said it would "reduce incidents involving overseas students", and the support of language schools in the East Sussex town was needed.

The "behaviour guidelines" would be signed by foreign student organisations, the police and council.

AREAS COVERED BY THE CODE Checks on host families Curfew times for students Student-to-leader ratios Transport for youngsters No students allowed alcohol

The code of practice includes checking host families, curfew times, an alcohol ban and guidelines on transport.

Eastbourne Borough Council leader Councillor Ian Lucas said foreign students were "great for our local economy".

He said: "This is about increasing their safety whilst here, and thereby securing this vital contribution to our economy for the long term."

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "We are determined to reduce incidents involving overseas students.

"We are working with our partner agencies to ensure they have a safe and enjoyable stay in Eastbourne.

"However, we need the support of the language schools in this and the implementation of this code will be a positive step towards achieving this."

In other towns in the South East, language schools have reported "dozens of attacks" on students.

In June, a 16-year-old English language student from Germany was racially abused in Margate and attacked with a metal stick.

He was left needing stitches to his head.