Elderly residents in a sheltered housing scheme have spoken out against plans to relocate them.

Landlords Wealden District Council said Towermill Place, in Park Croft, Polegate, was below standard and needed to be renovated and modernised.

It will decide on May 10 at a closed meeting whether or not the residents will be moved to a different wing or moved out temporarily or permanently.

Residents spoke about the plans yesterday and said they were too old to move and wanted to stay together.

Mary Hughes, 85, said: "I love my flat. I have always been happy here and this is really upsetting me.

"I moved in here four years ago, this is my home. I don't want to leave these people and I don't want to leave Polegate, where I have lived for 79 years. You don't make friends so easily when you are older."

Audrey Chubb, 83, moved in to Towermill Place in January 1984 and said she does not want to move.

Ethel Moore, 97, the oldest resident, said: "You can see how happy we all are. We are all here for each other and they are going to take that away."

Mrs Hughes' daughter Rosemary Battles, 62, of North Close, Polegate, said: "There are 20 people here and I am fighting for all of them. It is a very close-knit community and they don't want to be scattered over the Wealden district."

But the state of the building is apparent to newlyweds Pat, 73, and Edna Lavender, 76, who wed on April 15 after meeting at Towermill Place five years ago and falling in love over jigsaw puzzles.

Mr Lavender said: "The building is not in a good state and it is not going to get any better.

"We are prepared to go but we want to stay in Polegate because Edna's family is here.

"Our flat is quite nice but the one I was in before had damp.

"Most people here are frightened to move but they can't stay here."

Polegate MP Norman Baker visited the residents yesterday with Councillors Roy Martin and Andy Watkins.

He promised to make their views known at the meeting to decide the scheme's future.