A campaign has been launched to fight plans to build a landfill site near homes.

Villagers are worried lorries will create a traffic hazard on narrow roads leading to the site in countryside just north of Haywards Heath.

People from at least four villages in the Horsted Keynes area are expected to attend a public meeting on the issue next month.

West Sussex County Council has earmarked clay pits at the Freshfield brickworks, near Horsted Keynes, as one of more than 48 possible sites for waste disposal.

The sites are still up for public comment before any firm applications are made for approval. People living in the Freshfield, Danehill, Horsted Keynes and Lindfield areas say they want to nip the scheme in the bud.

Campaign spokeswoman Elaine Seear, from Freshfield, said: "We just feel we ought to get together over this. All roads leading to the brickworks are very narrow and the heavy lorry traffic is a real worry.

"We are going to put out about 1,000 leaflets through letter boxes because people don't seem to know about this."

A council spokesman said: "The sites are what we call potential sites. Everything that everyone says to us will be weighed up by us very carefully.

"As the process goes on, and it is a lengthy process, there will be plenty of opportunity to comment further."

Horsted Keynes Parish Council clerk Olwen Wales said a letter of objection had been sent to the county council on traffic and environmental grounds.

Mrs Wales said: "The objections are mainly about access to the site because it is all narrow lanes, therefore a danger to other road users and there are environmental objections."

County council officials will attend a meeting of Danehill Parish Council at Chelwood Gate village hall at 8pm tonight to discuss the suggested site.

No details of the likely amount of landfill are yet available as the schemes are at an early stage.

A public meeting will be staged at Horsted Keynes Village Hall on February 8 at 7.30 pm.