A chairman of governors has raised serious concerns about security at a Sussex school.

The recent abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne has heightened worries about access at Thomas a Becket Middle School in Worthing.

A West Sussex Education Authority teacher training centre is based in the grounds of the school in Glebeside Road.

Pupils at the school have to pass the car park to get from the main school buildings to playing fields.

Tony Cohen, who has been chairman of governors for two years, said the recent case of Sarah Payne had highlighted long running concerns about the set-up.

He said: "I am not trying to scaremonger, the simple fact is that there is a part of the school grounds where cars can be parked and adults visit and which we have no control over.

"The issue of having the training centre based at the school rather than in an independent location is one that has worried us for some time.

"As well as the pressing security issues we also have the scenario where there is a large building that is not being properly utilised while children are having to study in huts because there is no room for them in the main building.

"What we really want is to have the whole of our school back again. The centre could easily be relocated and then we could really make full use of the space and have a full, safe and secure environment."

There are currently 840 pupils between seven and 12 years old at Thomas a Becket school and it is now full to capacity.

Mr Cohen said the situation is currently so bad that the school this year had to turn away 46 applications for entry, 16 of which were from families of children already at the school.

He said: "We pride ourselves on our strong community links and good support from parents. However we now have a scenario where a parent who has had three children pass through the school is having to send the fourth elsewhere."

It is one of 500 schools in the country to achieve Beacon Status, which means it has been recognised as a centre of excellence and given extra funding to work closely with other schools to improve teaching and facilities in the area.

A county council spokesman said: "We are confident of the safety and security of the children at the school.

"The majority of people who use the centre are teachers who are coming for lectures and briefings. It is not a location where casual callers can just turn up.

"At the moment there are no plans to move the centre. It is well established and at the moment it would be far too costly for us to attempt to move it to a new location."