Detectives have been scouring CCTV footage in the search for the person who has pasted phone boxes and bus stops with posters wrongly accusing a local man of being a registered and active child molester who has been allowed back into the community.

The unfounded statement says: "As concerned members of the community we are warning you of the danger to your children."

Hundreds of the flyers have been left on the windscreens of cars parked across Horsham town centre.

But police said an investigation involving public protection officers, neighbourhood police teams and neighbourhood specialist teams had unearthed no evidence that any of the allegations were based on fact.

A Horsham CID spokeswoman criticised the posters as groundless, defamatory literature.

She said: "Members of the public are being deceived by such malicious information, which does not serve a useful or a helpful purpose within our community."

PC Terry Price, of the Horsham Neighbourhood Specialist Team, said it looked as though the material had been distributed by somebody with a vendetta against the man, whose name and full address were included on the posters.

Detectives are keen to talk to anyone who knows who could be responsible.

If you have any information call DS Mark Dennett-Thorpe on 0845 60 70 999 quoting reference 828 of October 31.

For comprehensive coverage of all the stories making the local news, read Friday's edition of the West Sussex County Times newspaper. Visitors to www.wscountytimes.co.uk who wish to purchase a copy of the County Times newspaper but live outside our circulation area can do so by telephoning 01403 751200 and asking for reception. The cost of the newspaper plus postage in England is £1.53 which can be paid for by credit card. Overseas rates are also available, on request.