Civic leaders in West Sussex were today urged to reveal which sites they have earmarked for a controversial travellers' camp.

A Worthing borough councillor says it would be "helpful" for people to know if the site it is going to be near them.

The Argus revealed council officials in Arun and Worthing want to create a temporary base to house 12 families.

Parts of Littlehampton and Worthing are being considered as possible locations and councillors have a shortlist of four sites chosen from 20.

But they say they are still not ready to reveal where they are.

Worthing borough councillor John Livermore said it would be "helpful" for local residents to know which sites the two councils were looking at.

He said: "Nobody wants a travellers' site near them so wherever it goes it is bound to upset someone but it would certainly be helpful to know where the two councils are looking."

He also questioned whether space for 12 families would be enough, adding: "Sometimes one family can generate up to 20 people and three or four caravans. Will there be enough room?"

Hundreds of travellers descend on the two districts each year but neither has a temporary site for travellers to stay for up to a month at a time.

Both councils estimate there are about 40 families camping illegally across the area at any one time.

Arun District Council's head of environmental health, Paul Unsworth, said finding sites for travellers was always a delicate subject.

He said: "It is not going to be easy but we are looking at a range of criteria for the site.

"We are looking at things including ownership, access, safety, impact on the surrounding area including whether it is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or a Strategic Gap and that there is no loss of open space for the public."

He said the site chosen was likely to be on private rather than public land.

The councils, together with West Sussex County Council, will draw up an application to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister for funding to provide a transit site.

They say no application is likely before the end of next year.