A town hall saved from the bulldozers four months ago has been granted extra protection.

Bognor Town Hall has been awarded Grade II-listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

The 1929 neo-Georgian building in Clarence Road was saved from demolition in October after public pressure forced a U-turn by Arun District Council.

The council's Cabinet voted unanimously to keep the building after more than 5,200 people signed a petition opposing its demolition.

The building, designed by architect Charles Cowes-Voysey, was rejected for Grade II-listed status in 1991 but following a revival of Cowes-Voysey, responsible for the design of many inter-war civic buildings, the Government has decided it now merits the status.

District council leader Norman Dingemans said: "Now we have established its Grade II listing, the situation has been resolved to the satisfaction of the council and its residents."

Grade II listing imposes special controls over the building and requires any development, which may affect its setting, to be of sympathetic architectural quality and design.