Three day centres that provide vital support for elderly people have been earmarked for closure.

More than 200 people who use the day centres in Eastbourne, Peacehaven and Rye have been told they will have to travel to other towns or drop out.

The jobs of all 41 staff at Downlands Centre, Peacehaven, Pembury Road Centre, Eastbourne, and The Friary, Rye, are also under threat.

A further closure of the day centre in Avis Way for people with learning disabilities in Newhaven will be reviewed by East Sussex County Council at its cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

A decision will also be made on the future of Gilda Crescent Centre, Polegate, following a review of the services offered there. The recommendation is that it will remain open.

Budget proposals before the cabinet recommend an extra £7.7 million for social care services for adults next year. But the services are still likely to be hit hard due to rising costs and the council says it needs to focus on those most in need.

The closures, along with other cost-cutting in the council's adult social care department will provide savings of £4.4 million, which the department has pledged to reinvest in frontline community care services.

Councillor Keith Glazier, lead cabinet member for children's and adults' services, said: "Due to ever-increasing demand for services, we are faced with some really tough decisions.

"We know that any cuts to services will be very painful for many of our residents and we are not taking this lightly.

"Many other councils are having to deal with the same problem and I just wish Government ministers could see what is going on."

Vera Edwards, 81, is a carer for her husband Norman, 85, who has Parkinson's disease and attends Downlands Centre once a week.

Mrs Edwards, of Firle Road, Peacehaven, said: "A lot of the people at the centre are very elderly and a lot of them are very confused. It is their only outing and they enjoy going there.

"It seems so stupid as there will now be nothing from Newhaven to Saltdean. The service is brilliant. My husband gets picked up and they look after him all day once a week. It gives me a day off from caring for him 24/7.

"The first I heard of it was yesterday and now I don't know what I am going to do. I am very upset and cross. This is not care for the elderly.

"I have been trying to explain it to Norman; he can get quite muddled. He is distraught and doesn't know what he is going to do."

Day centres for older people provide a range of services, including bathing and clothes washing facilities, social events such as bingo and teaching skills for independence.

Currently, there are 70 registered users of Pembury Road, 59 registered users of The Friary and 77 registered users of Downlands.

The council carried out a review of the eight day centres in East Sussex and identified Downlands, Pembury Road and The Friary for possible closure based on low use.

Judith Chant, 60, cares for her partner Francis Courtney, 76, who also attends Downlands.

Ms Chant, of Ambleside Avenue, Peacehaven, said: "It is a wonderful place and all the council is going to do is increase its costs because more people will go into homes prematurely.

"Carers can't survive without places like this. They need respite. I don't think I could cope if I didn't have some time off and I would have to send Francis to a home. But I don't want to do that, I would rather keep him at home."

The council has proposed to invest £100,000 across the three areas served by these centres in developments with the voluntary sector. Any further savings would be invested in supporting people at home and paying for residential and nursing care.

Keith Hinkley, director of adult social care for East Sussex County Council, said: "This is a national issue and has to be managed across the country.

"But we have a particularly ageing population here, with more people over 85 than anywhere else in England.

There are also a lot of people with learning disabilities.

"We have to face the fact there is not enough money to do everything for everyone as much as we have done in the past.