Only four police officers were on duty on a Saturday night in an area populated by 50,000 people.

The revelation was uncovered by William Sansom, the son of a retired Sussex policeman, when his car was vandalised in Uckfield.

Officers attending told him only four bobbies were working that night to cover the whole of Lewes, Crowborough, Isfield and Uckfield.

One suggested Mr Sansom should stay home tomorrow for his own safety.

The figures have not been disputed by Sussex Police but the force insisted many more police could have been called in from other areas if trouble had flared.

They stressed crime in the area was down.

Mr Sansom was leaving a dance in Uckfield last Saturday when he discovered his wrecked Ford Escort.

Other vehicles had panels dented and windows smashed.

Officers already at the scene told him there were four police covering eight villages and towns in a ten-mile stretch from Isfield to Crowborough.

Mr Sansom, a financial service analyst who lives in Patcham, Brighton, and works in Burgess Hill, said he was astounded so few police were around.

"One officer suggested I shouldn't come to Uckfield on a Saturday night in future."

Inspector Richard Allum, sector commander for Uckfield, said the patch was not a high-crime area but if the need arose then many more police could be drafted in.

He said: "I would not want people to think the area is not safe or it is a soft touch for criminals.

"Violent crime and criminal damage are both down by six per cent from April to October compared to the same period last year.

"The suggestion people should stay home and not go out in Uckfield on a Saturday night does not wash. This area if one of the safest in Sussex."

Concern was expressed today by Charles Hendry, MP for Wealden.

He backed Sussex Police and praised Chief Cons-table Ken Jones for reopening smaller police stations and extending opening hours.

But, he said, the force was woefully short of bobbies on the beat.

He said: "I have heard similar figures for police on duty in Wealden before and it concerns me.

"If there had been arrests from the Uckfield incident, officers would have had to travel to the Crawley custody centre to book in prisoners.

"That would have taken them several hours, further depleting the number of police on the beat. There is a chronic shortage and we need to cut paper work to free up more officers for front-line duties.

"Specials, who provide police with valuable support, have fallen in numbers from 470 to 300 during the past six years and this needs to be addressed. Police are struggling."

A Sussex Police spokeswoman said the force was hiring record numbers of extra officers and it had the second highest number of new police community support officers in England and Wales.

She said: "In addition, Mr Jones is assisting with a national study looking at ways of cutting police paper work to free up more police.

"We are aware of people's concerns and we are addressing them."

Police identified suspects after the vandal attack in Uckfield. One youth was visited at his home and given a warning.