A restaurant owner faces a £1,200 bill after painting his business the wrong colour.

Marc Venditto was shocked when Worthing Borough Council warned he could face legal action if the colour wasn't changed.

Mr Venditto spent thousands of pounds on the opening last summer of Simply Italian, in Montague Place, Worthing. He painted the four-storey listed building blue and cream.

But conservationists objected, saying the colour had to be cream or white, the same as other properties in the terrace.

Planning officers said the blue and cream scheme had caused "demonstrable visual harm" to the building.

Mr Venditto, who runs a chain of restaurants in the South-East, said repainting the building would cost up to £1,200.

Councillors meeting tomorrow are expected to give him three months to do the work.