SUSSEX Police would struggle to cope with a Paris-style terrorist attack with its current level of armed police staffing, an MP has warned.

Hove MP Peter Kyle claims there are just seven armed police officers covering all of Sussex on shift rotations, not including those at Gatwick.

Police chiefs questioned the claim and said the force was well-prepared to cope with any threat.

But Mr Kyle said it was time for police bosses to take off their “rose tinted glasses” and to look at the reality on the ground.

The Labour MP raised concerns about the terrorist response capability of the force to Prime Minister David Cameron in the Commons this week.

He raised concerns about Sussex Police’s increased reliance on neighbouring forces, with requests for assistance up 43 per cent this year, while the number of on-call off-duty officers available to respond to emergencies is severely depleted in police cuts.

He said Government plans for increased spending would focus on the SAS and MI6 and not frontline local policing.

And he warned with terrorist groups targeting multiple locations with simultaneous attacks, the Met’s first instinct would be to secure London before coming to the aid of another force.

Mr Kyle said: “Our city has suffered terrorism in the past and whilst I hope we never will again, I will do everything I can to make sure we are able to cope if it does.

“France has a similar population to Britain but has more than double the number of police officers and every single officer is armed.

"We are looking at an area where at times seven on-duty firearm officers for the whole of Sussex.

“Police bosses need to take their rose tinted glasses off and look what is happening.”

Chief Superintendent Tony Blaker said the force had “well-developed response plans” for any terrorist incidents.

Mr Blaker said armed response officers were deployed 24/7 across Surrey and Sussex while there was provision for extra officers available on call to provide further firearms capability.

He added: "The current deployment of armed officers is based on our assessment and intelligence about the likelihood of incidents involving armed criminality, including terrorism.

"Plans for deployments, locations and timings are obviously operationally sensitive and we will not provide any detail of these except to say that the figure quoted publicly today for firearms officer availability does not represent the true level, which is significantly higher than that quoted.”

To report any suspicious behaviour call the confidential anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321 or 999 in an emergency.