A quarter of trains run by the main Sussex operator will be cancelled tomorrow during a planned guards' strike.

South Central has contingency plans to ensure as many trains as possible run on one of the year's busiest days for rail travel.

Thousands of extra journeys are expected to be made on the last day before the Easter break.

Guards belonging to the Rail Maritime and Transport Union are taking industrial action following fears about job security and the safety of driver-only trains.

Their action is being condemned by rail bosses.

Charles Horton, managing director of South Central, which operates services to and from the South Coast said: "I am disappointed the RMT has decided to continue with this unnecessary strike action.

"However, during the previous two RMT strikes, almost half our guards worked normally.

"We also benefited from many of our qualified managers working as guards.

"I am confident that tomorrow we will be able to provide an almost normal service."

It is predicted the main Brighton Line, in and out of Victoria and London Bridge, and the Thameslink and Gatwick services will run. Services to and from Sussex to Watford Junction and Bournemouth will not run and there will be no South Central service between Barnham, Chichester and Portsmouth and Eastbourne and Hastings. There will be a service every two hours between Oxted and Uckfield.

There will be an hourly off-peak service between Bognor and Three Bridges and a half-hourly service between Three Bridges and London Victoria.

An hourly service between Bognor and Littlehampton and between Littlehampton and Brighton will run.

There will be an hourly service off-peak service between Eastbourne and Brighton.

A half-hourly service will run between Seaford and Brighton and there will be no service between Hastings and Ashford.

South West Trains will run its normal service.