A community has thrown its weight behind a campaign to replace a school damaged by fire.

East Sussex County Council has promised £7 million to rebuild the Tideway School in Southdown Road, Newhaven, following a suspected arson attack in April.

But staff and governors want extra millions so the school can be rebuilt rather than having its old buildings repaired.

Newhaven Town Council and the Newhaven Chamber of Commerce have backed headteacher Adrian Money's campaign and a petition has been launched by school governors.

When the fire struck in April,causing £3 million of damage, the school had just begun a £2 million modernisation programme and had built a new hall and offices. These were destroyed by the blaze.

Parent and governor David Rogers, county councillor for Newhaven, said governors decided at a meeting on Wednesday to start collecting signatures on a petition.

He said: "Newhaven Town Council has backed it on behalf of the town.

"Also the chamber of commerce are supporting us.

"It is really beginning to snowball."

Norman Mayhew, president of the chamber of commerce, said: "Tideway School has been an excellent school in recent years since Adrian Money took over.

"I think it would be fantastic for Newhaven and the regeneration of the town if, rather than making a half-baked effort to repair what was not the most architecturally impressive school, we build a state-of-the-art school."

A spokesman for the county council's children's services department, said: "We understand the school's concerns and are making every effort to secure additional Government funding to rebuild the school.

"Tideway will, of course, feature as a priority when we consider our capital programme later in the year."

Robbie Robertson, Mayor of Newhaven, said: "The town council of Newhaven is supporting the bid for a new school.

"It would be better to have a modern school for a modern curriculum."

A 15-year-old boy is facing charges related to the fire.