Community centres in Sussex are facing a large rise in their insurance premiums after the US terrorist attacks.

Representatives from the Langney Community Centre, Etchingham Road, and the Old Town Community Centre in Central Avenue, Eastbourne, said the cost of building insurance had risen by about 30 per cent.

Eastbourne Borough Council runs two centres in the town and owns several other buildings which it leases to community groups.

Alan Wallwork, treasurer of Langney Community Centre, said: "Generally building insurance has gone up but the council's insurers were very much involved in some of the buildings in New York.

"We have to balance the accounts year in, year out and in my case it's an extra £81, which of course is going to have some effect on the cost to the public."

Mr Wallwork said the premium had risen from £218 to £299.

A spokeswoman for Bridgemere Community Centre, Bridgemere Road, said the premium had risen by £100 and although hire charges had not risen they would have to be reviewed.

Liberal Democrat councillor Maurice Skilton, who holds a surgery at the Old Town Community Centre, described the hike as outrageous.

He said: "On the surface of it there can't be any justification for increasing it at that sort of rate."

Coun Skilton said the rise could also have a knock-on effect to the recently reopened Old Town library.

A spokeswoman for Zurich Municipal, which insures many local authorities, said it worked closely with community organisations and groups but the rise in insurance was due to market forces.

A spokesman for Eastbourne Borough Council said: "Insurance premiums have risen across the board for all organisations and businesses as a direct result of the September 11 attacks."