The owners of an 87-year-old printing works in Worthing have joined residents to fight a proposed housing development.

The long-established Worthing firm faces closure with the loss of ten jobs if its site is sold to make way for the homes.

Gadds was started in 1913 by Benjamin Gadd and moved to Wenban Road in 1927.

Owner Julian Parsons, who took over the presses and the company 20 years ago, said the landowners were entitled to end their lease but he hoped to persuade them otherwise.

He said: "They're perfectly legally within their rights to do it, but we are disappointed because we have been printing here since Mr Gadd took it on.

"I can't stomp up and down saying, 'You can't do that', but we are here and we obviously get on well with our neighbours and we employ these people."

Wenban Road resident Don MacQuarrie said the proposed development would mean access problems for the emergency services and disruption to residents during the building. He said the area was becoming over-developed.

He said: "At night there is a lot of trouble with hooligans and with all the pubs opening up on Chapel Road we feel under siege.

"There are not a lot of police round here and now they are trying to foist more people upon us when there are already too many people converging on this area."

An outline planning application to build homes on the site is due to go before Worthing councillors on December 19.