Savings made through the controversial decision to axe hot school meals in West Sussex will be lower than expected.

Campaigners have accused the county council of putting up a smokescreen after it admitted it would cost more to launch cold snack boxes than first suggested.

The additional cost is the result of new Government guidelines on nutritional standards in schools which come into force on April 1.

A requirement for extra fruit and milk-based products will cut the savings the council had expected to make from £750,000 a year to £676,000.

Crawley parent Richard Symonds, who says he may stand as an independent candidate in the May council elections, said: "These culinary gymnastics are still no substitute for a hot meal.

"The county council is keeping just within the letter of the law but making a mockery of the spirit of the law."

Mr Symonds said could stand for the Crawley seat currently held by Tory councillor David Dewdney if Labour and the Lib Dems did not pledge to bring back hot meals, They were axed two years ago, sparking a series of demonstrations by parents.

Now new-style lunch boxes are being sold in schools on a trial basis in advance of the new nutritional standards.

County council spokeswoman Jane Robinson said: "We are adding to them with more fruit and milk-based products and we have been talking to dieticians to make sure we have got it right."

The new lunch boxes have already been introduced in several schools on a trial basis.

Mrs Robinson said: "Many kitchens have been converted into extra classrooms and IT rooms and used for both pre-school and after-school childcare, and many schools have welcomed the fact they have this extra accommodation."