Parents fighting plans to close two special schools have invited education bosses to attend a public meeting.

Pupils' families are outraged by the proposed closure of Highdown School in Worthing and St Cuthman's School near Midhurst.

West Sussex County Council wants to sell the two schools and combine the money it raises with £4.8 million of government funding to improve special school accommodation in the south of the county.

The shake-up would also turn Herons Dale School in Shoreham into a primary special school for children with learning difficulties.

The cash from the closure would be used to create one large secondary school for pupils with learning difficulties.

Many parents feel they have not been properly consulted about the changes and the Highdown Parents Action Group was set up to fight the plans.

The group has organised a meeting at Highdown School in Worthing on Thursday at 7.30pm.

Tim Loughton, Tory MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, will be among those attending.

Organisers have also invited representatives from West Sussex education authority.

Action group secretary Anne Hounsom, who has a daughter with learning difficulties, said: "We are not happy about several issues.

"We are fully prepared to have separate secondary and junior schools but there is a very big difference between moderate learning difficulties and severe learning difficulties.

"The children would all be put in one secondary school regardless of their level of difficulty."