A crusade has been launched to save a crumbling school chapel that houses memorial stones to men who died in the Second World War.

The chapel was a 17th Century barn in Ripe, which in 1926 was taken brick by brick to Seaford where it was rebuilt by staff and pupils of the old all-boys King's Mead School.

In the late Sixties, the school was turned into St Mary's Nursing Home.

But owner Westminster Health Care has announced the home will have to close as it cannot afford to bring it in line with strict new care home standards by next April.

It is having to find new homes for its remaining residents before its closure, leaving open the possibility of the chapel being demolished.

It has led 60 former King's Mead School pupils to unite to preserve the chapel, housing memorial stones engraved with the names of former boys who died during the war.

Dr David Maxwell, who attended the school from 1959 to 1964, said: "There is an enormous level of concern because we feel the memories of those people who died during the war should be preserved.

"Also, there are few places of charm in Seaford but I feel this is one of them so it would be a tragedy if it was demolished.

"Westminster Health Care has given us a sympathetic ear.

"It said it would find somewhere else suitable for the memorials should it be knocked down but that could mean anything."

A spokesman for Westminster Health Care said a structural survey had been carried out on the chapel, which confirmed it was too dilapidated.

But he added they were listening to concerns from former pupils, religious leaders and council bosses.

He added: "We want to preserve the chapel as much as the former pupils but the fact remains that it is structurally unsafe and would be impossible to meet the new standards.

"However, we are doing all we can to preserve parts, if not all, of the chapel and we are listening to various interested parties to achieve that.

"Our first priority, however, is to find homes for the remaining residents in the home and then we will look at what to do with the building and the chapel."