MORE than 1,000 families have been asked if they want to save a community sports centre set to be demolished.

Their response could form the basis of a campaign to reprieve the Sidney West Centre in Burgess Hill.

The centre in Leylands Road has been earmarked for demolition after the £13.5 million Triangle leisure centre opens on Friday.

District councillors believe the new centre makes the building redundant and plan to knock it down.

But outraged Tories have accused the Liberal Democrat-led council of acting without asking people what they want.

They have sent leaflets to homes throughout the town and say the response has been almost unanimous in wanting it saved.

Conservative campaigner Chris Smith said: "Before knocking the centre down it would be more appropriate to ask people whether they want to keep it.

"If they don't then we should look at converting the building for community use for people who want facilities closer to town. The Triangle is a long way away for some people."

But assistant leisure services director Ian Burton said the building had to go as it had been condemned.

He said the public was being invited to register views on a number of proposals to be put on display next month.

A two-week exhibition of ideas starts at the One Stop Shop on April 6 and is followed by a week-long display at Burgess Hill library.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.