Protesters fighting to save ancient woodlands in Worthing staged a demonstration as they handed a petition to planners.

There was a strong police presence as more than 50 people waved placards outside Worthing Town Hall yesterday in a bid to save Titnore Woods, on the outskirts of the town, from developers.

The woods face destruction when winding Titnore Lane is straightened to provide access to a planned 850-home housing and industrial estate.

Campaigners were backed by Caroline Lucas, Green Party MEP for the South-East, who handed over the bulky petition to Worthing mayor Eric Mardell.

She said: "I feel enormously strongly about this. I am behind the petition 110 per cent. To put a major housing estate in this green space would be criminal. They are ancient woodlands that are utterly irreplaceable.

"The loudness of our voices, the strength of our message and the number of signatures on the petition will show how strongly we feel about it. We will not go away and we will not desert this woodland."

Coun Mardell said: "It is evident there is a lot of concern about the woods, from the signatures on the petition.

"I shall convey that level of concern to my councillor colleagues."