Campaigners lobbied councillors as they met today to discuss the future of a library.

Banners saying "New Lewes Library Needed Now" were raised as members made their way to the East Sussex County Council meeting in Lewes.

Friends of Lewes Library secretary Lyn Donbroski said the council had started considering plans as early as 1997 and designs had even been looked at by Lewes District Council.

He said: "We have virtually got to the end of a lot of work.

"The county council has built up a lot of goodwill. If they now cancel the project they will destroy that goodwill.

"The people of Lewes will be extremely upset. It's another case of libraries being the first option when it comes to cuts. We are hoping this will not be the decision taken. If it is, we will not leave it there."

Scrapping the library is one option for councillors forced to make cuts following a £3.7 million blunder.

Staff calculating the capital spending budget counted a sum of money twice, making them £2.1 million out, and also expected to received £1.6 million from land sales which did not materialise.

Polegate councillor Roy Martin said: "It seems to me after all the long drawn out planning to put the brakes on it will be a retrograde step. We know what happened to Brighton Library.

"Men and women do not live by bread alone. For many people this is the only chance they get to have any degree of intellect in their life."