More than £60,000 must be spent to prevent a busy multi-storey car park in Worthing from crumbling, experts warned today.

Urgent repairs are needed at the Grafton car park in Marine Parade because of deteriorating support beams.

Worthing Borough Council, which owns the 1960s block, had hoped to keep spending to a minimum as negotiations on a possible sale continue.

But a report has revealed essential repairs are needed for safety and approval for spending is expected at a meeting on Thursday.

Coun Peter Green today stressed there was not an imminent danger of the car park collapsing.

Steel beams were used to replace the worst concrete support beams last year but now another 35 need attention.

A council report warned: "Further secondary beams have deteriorated to the point where their condition is giving rise for concern.

"The ongoing deterioration of these beams is inevitable, given their age, composition and location and there are currently another 35 which need urgent attention and perhaps as many again that will need attention fairly soon."

But executive for environmental services Coun Green said the council did not wish to "take a chance" by delaying repairs.

He said: "I was questioning whether we should be doing the repairs. The surveyors said we could take a chance but, quite frankly, we could be in trouble if a beam went.

"It's prudent to keep the repairs going. If we don't, we could be forced to close it at times when we need it open, like Christmas and the January sales."

The beams were made from alumina cement. The steel replacement beams will be set on either side of the current concrete ones.

Potential buyers for the Grafton car park have been shortlisted but it has not been decided whether the facility will be sold outright or operate under a joint partnership, with the council remaining as the owner.