Dozens of pubs are shutting their doors this week when a massive funeral parade passes through a village.

Police expect hundreds of people to descend on Hurstpierpoint tomorrow for the funeral of Joe Brazil, who drowned in a ditch off Furners Lane, near Henfield, earlier this month.

Every pub within a seven-mile radius has been advised the large group is likely to flock to the village for the funeral and many have decided to close.

Caroline Mitchell, of the White Horse Inn in Hurstpierpoint, said the pub would close as a mark of respect to the Brazil family.

She said friends and colleagues of the family drank in the pub and it was closing out of courtesy to them.

Mr Brazil, a handyman, leaves a wife, Lisa, and three children, Tilly, nine months, Sammy, eight, and Joe, nine.

None of the landlords were prepared to comment on why they felt the move was necessary.

A resident of the area, who asked not to be named, said he thought the funeral might become disruptive if family factions clashed with each other.

He said: "If the police feel they can't police the pubs, how is one assured of one's safety?"

Other pubs which plan to close include The New Inn, The Poacher and The Duke of York Inn in Hurstpierpoint.

In Henfield The George Hotel, The Wheatsheaf, The Henfield Tavern and The Plough Inn will all close during the period.

Inspector Roy Apps, of Haywards Heath Police, said the force had not advised landlords to close but had told them there would be large numbers of people in the area.

He said: "The pubs are closing as a mark of respect for the family and probably also because of concerns about the number of people who could be in the village who they don't know.

"With that amount of people there, they are considering the safety angle.

"We envisage some traffic congestion which we shall endeavour to police in as unobtrusive a way as possible as we also wish to show our respect for the family at this time."