PARENTS have accused a vicar of causing their pre-school club to close because of a “ridiculous and unnecessary” hike in fees to use the church hall.

See Saw Playgroup will close this week after 30 years amid claims they have been priced out of using St Phillip’s Church Hall in Hove after rents increased almost three-fold in three years.

A petition has been signed by hundreds calling for the rector of Aldrington parish Stephen Terry to be removed from his post with parents comparing him to US Presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Parents have claimed that the rent has jumped from £6,000 to £17,000 in three years while other childcare groups hire nearby church halls at less then a tenth of the new rate.

Reverend Terry defended the rent rise saying the Parochial Church Council was duty-bound to find the best returns possible for its facilities especially when its own finances are in a “very parlous” state.

See Saw will hold its final goodbye event on Thursday while a new commercial nursery has already moved into St Phillip’s Church Hall in New Church Road.

Parent Angela Whippy said: “The Reverend and his committee have pushed the rent up to an unaffordable amount and in effect have closed the pre-school down.

“He is supposed to be running a Christian organisation but his behaviour has not been very Christian.

"He is someone in power who really shouldn't be, he's like Donald Trump, we just want to see him gone."

The not-for-profit pre-school club was founded almost 30 years ago and has been run from the site for the past 18 years.

Ofsted inspectors graded the pre-school club good in its most recent report from an inspection last January praising its “kind, caring and friendly” staff and managers who successfully identify and address gaps in children’s learning.

Rev Terry said: “Obviously we have to pay our way like everybody else these days and our financial position is very parlous indeed.

“The rate that See Saw was previously paying was heavily subsidised by the church and considerably less than what might be charged to other groups.

“The hall is run by the Parochial Church Council and under charity law, trustees are duty bound to find the best return for the charity that is reasonable.

“We were very sad indeed when See Saw felt they couldn’t accept the new rate.”

It is not the first time Rev Terry has came under fire - in 2013 he was criticised for ordering the 7th Hove Girl Guides from using St Leonard's Church Hall they had called home for more than 85 years because they had not attended enough religious services.