Fishermen and council bosses are at loggerheads over the future of Littlehampton harbour.

Protesting fishermen gathered on the river banks to demonstrate about plans to build 68 houses and 15 units and open up the Arun river bank to pedestrians. The plans also include building a five-storey visitor centre with views across Littlehampton.

Waving placards, fishermen claimed jobs would be lost if the plans submitted to Arun District Council went ahead. But council chiefs have served eviction notices on the fishermen and put concrete blocks in place to stop the fishermen gaining access to the harbour.

Fishermen have found a 200-year law which states if the land becomes derelict it can be claimed as their own. But council bosses say the White Herring Fisheries Act of 1771, which was renamed the Sea Fisheries Act in 1868, has been repealed and have issued eviction orders to the fishermen.

Clive Mills, fisherman, said: "We are prepared to fight for our rights. This land is ours and we are not going to be moved by bully boy tactics. We will take this fight all the way to the European courts if we have to. We would not have dug this law out if we were

not prepared to go all the way with it."

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