A DOZEN campaigners were locked in a police station as a public meeting descended into chaos.

The activists had hoped to attend a Seaford Town Council meeting about GP surgeries on Thursday.

But after too many people turned up at Seaford Town Hall, some were told they could not attend.

In an act of protest, they refused to leave the reception, which doubles as a police station.

After a half hour argument with the campaigners, one official was “forced to lock them” in the unattended station while he called the police.

Back-up promptly arrived in the form of Seaford mayor Nazish Adil and deputy mayor Lindsay Freeman.

The pair attempted to ease tensions in the group, who had been locked in the station for about 30 seconds.

One campaigner inside the station, who did not want to be named, said: “One lady was creating hell.

“It was hilarious, the mayor was trying to smooth things over.

“I had to laugh and see the funny side”

The campaigners had hoped to speak at the full council meeting about proposals to move a GP surgery to a site on the Downs.

The meeting agenda states councillors voted to establish a working party to review the provision of GP services in the town.

The campaigner said: “We told them that they should have cancelled the meeting and held it in a larger premises.”

A council spokesman has responded to the drama.

He claimed an action group had contacted members and told them to attend the meeting.

But, he said, the group did not contact the council to let them know there would be more people there.

He added that staff members are obligated to close the police station if it is left unattended by a member of staff.

He said: “A lot of people were angry that the council was not discussing what they thought it was going to be discussing.

“They would have realised this if any of them had looked at the agenda.

“A number of the people in the police station were bullying and offensive.

“A lot of the group had the view – which is not correct – that they have a right to attend the meeting .

“We allowed the public in, but only what we can accommodate – like the House of Commons.

“It was explained that we are in a police station and they are not allowed to be left unattended.”

The spokesman said the council official who locked the door could see those inside the station for the 30 second duration.