Talks are being held over the possible sale of two historic churches to fund a modern place of worship on an expanding housing estate.

The idea has been tabled by Marie Roe, of Shelley Road United Reform Church, Worthing, who suggested the church could be built in West Durrington.

She asked worshippers to consider selling the Shelley Road site, and St Columba's Church in St Michael's Road, to pay for a move to the suburbs.

She said: "Worthing is growing and homes are needed. The only space where building is possible, apart from a few brownfield sites, is in West Durrington, with more than 800 homes scheduled to be built.

"At present, no land in this new suburb has been allocated for the building of a Christian church but already many young families have moved in.

"In the older part of Worthing, many churches are struggling, with dwindling membership and buildings which are expensive to keep in good repair.

"Our own denomination has two town churches, St Columba's and Shelley Road. I suggest both churches should sell their sites and, with the resources made available, build a new church in West Durrington, where the need is greatest."

Meanwhile, fund-raisers bidding to restore Victorian mosaic murals at a Worthing church are waiting to hear whether a bid for cash from English Heritage has been successful.

St Andrew's Church in West Tarring has so far raised about £20,000 towards the £125,000 cost of cleaning and repairing the 6ft high marble mosaics, which show the 12 apostles and some of the prophets from the Old Testament.

David Maddock, chairman of the restoration committee, said: "They need a lot of cleaning. In some areas, individual cubes of marble are loose or have come off."

He said he was "cautiously optimistic" of financial help from English Heritage and the Council for the Care of Churches, which have both inspected St Andrew's.

The church is staging an Italian evening at the Old Palace, Glebe Road, on November 10. Tickets, costing £15, are available from Mr Maddock on 01903 262815.