A dozen security guards were hired to police a rowdy public meeting over plans to sacrifice countryside for hundreds of new homes.

The private security team was called in at a cost thought to be more than £1,000 after Worthing Borough Council liaised with police on the potential for disruption by eco-activists at the Pavilion Theatre event.

About 100 people attended the meeting, which examined plans for more than 800 houses on farmland in West Durrington.

Green campaigners have already staged demonstrations against the scheme and recently warned of further protests.

Guards were posted at both entrances to Worthing Pier to prevent people from wrecking the meeting from outside the venue.

Mike Bleakley, the council's assistant director of policy development, warned not enough houses were being built in Worthing to meet Government targets.

Last year only 150 homes were built - less than half the number required.

He said if the council did not press ahead with the new estate, the Government would draft in its own team to make sure the work progressed.

Councillor Sheila Player, leader of the council, said: "The housing need in Worthing is very, very real indeed."

There were more than 1,600 people on the housing waiting list, some of them key workers such as police officers and teachers.

But residents were concerned about the proposed loss of about 200 trees in Titnore Lane to make way for road improvements.

There were boos and shouts of "disgraceful" from the floor and calls for the speed limit in Titnore Lane to be reduced instead.

Other residents feared parts of West Durrington would face an increased threat of flooding if the countryside was concreted over.

It was argued that Durrington High School, which already had 1,600 pupils, would not be able to cope with a further influx.

Councillor Nick Rodgers admitted community facilities had not kept pace with house-building in West Durrington, and accused the county council of having a "miserable record" in the area.

West Durrington had been promised a youth centre and library more than a decade ago but neither had been built.

Coun Player promised the meeting that if the developers did not come up with the cash for facilities, the scheme would not get the go-ahead from planners.