Body Shop founder Anita Roddick has lent her name to a campaign to protect a woodland threatened by housing developers.

Dame Anita, a friend of one of the campaigners, has agreed to support their efforts to save Titnore Woods in Durrington, Worthing.

One of the protesters, John Clark, from lobbying group Protect Our Woodland, said: "We are most grateful to Dame Anita for allowing us to use her name.

"We could only have dreamt of having the support of such a respected person when we started this campaign. Now almost five years on, we go from strength to strength. From a few local residents with the cheek to stand up and say no to planning authorities and multimillionpound multinational land developers, the campaign has featured on TV screens and newspapers throughout the UK and beyond."

Last Saturday up to 100 people took part in a demonstration against the destruction of trees.

An area of woodland with about 55 trees is due to be cleared to make way for an access road serving the proposed development of 875 homes.

To find out more, visit www.protectourwoodland.co.uk