Foot-and-mouth disease could threaten a £1 million scheme to prevent a landmark lake from drying up.

Southern Water was granted planning permission to carry out the dredging project at Swanbourne Lake in Arundel at a West Sussex County Council meeting.

But councillors say the scheme should be put off until next year if restrictions to combat the disease are still in place at the end of the month.

Southern Water spokesman Geoff Loder said the company would do everything it could to co-operate with restrictions.

The company plans to transport silt dredged up from the lake to local farms, where it can be used as fertiliser on arable crops.

That would mean dozens of journeys a day into South Downs farmland.

Mr Loder said: "At the moment there is nothing that would stop us going ahead with the scheme.

"We are still planning to go ahead next month and we will be following the proper procedures, which may involve disinfecting vehicles and people before they enter farmland."

He said the company would be flexible on the issue, taking into account the views of farmers.

He said if a case was discovered in the county then Southern Water would consider postponing the scheme until next year.

"The lake has silted up over 50 or 60 years, so the problem is not going to get dramatically worse in a year but it will put the whole project back.

"We need to carry it out when there is a lot of water in the lake, so the best time to do it is just after the winter.

"The longer the scheme is put back, the greater the chance of the lake drying up again and that would be damaging for the wildlife there."

Despite protests from residents who live along the narrow lane between the lake and South Stoke, planners decided the environmental benefits of dredging the lake outweighed the inconvenience of up to 54 daily lorry journeys.