A council is teaming up with the French to launch a bid for European funding.

The move by West Sussex County Council follows a meeting at County Hall, Chichester, between councillors and Alain le Vern, who is president of regional council for Upper Normandy.

The two councils have forged strong links in recent years and already belong to a consortium that has attracted European grants for a project to plan sustainable tourism at Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, near Chichester, which is rated as one of the top breeding grounds for birds.

money for a project to investigate coastal erosion has also been granted.

The two councils are now planning to apply to Brussels for money to fund a series of projects, including joint research on new methods of waste disposal, maritime safety and investigating the effects of climate change.

Council chairman Margaret Johnson said: "We need good links with all our neighbours, not only here in the south of England but also across the Channel in France.

"We face many of the same problems on the Channel whether it be coastal erosion or the effects of maritime accidents and because of this it is important to exchange ideas."