About 200 university students are occupying a lecture theatre following a protest against the rise in tuition fees.

The students decided to start an occupation in a lecture theatre in the Fulton Building, on the University of Sussex campus, Falmer, at about 5pm today.

It followed a march which began in Library Square at about 4pm and ended near the halls of residence.

A student who only wanted to be known as Tom, said: “About 200 of us have just started an occupation in a lecture theatre on campus in protest at the proposals to cut tuition fees and the cuts to education funding.

“The occupation is calling for students in universities and colleges across the country to follow our lead. People are discussing how long we will stay here at the moment.”

The 22-year-old added that the occupation had been a spontaneous decision and that people had been inspired by the protest in London last week.

He said: “It has brought new energy to our campaign. The support of our Wednesday protest has been carried forward to our campus.”

He said they had decided to occupy the Fulton building because it was new and expensive.

He said: “It opened at the same time they made more than 100 lecturers redundant. We are now reclaiming this space.”