Campaigners battling to save an historic library are being warned they risk reducing space for book borrowers.

Councillor Keith Taylor, convenor of the Green group on Brighton and Hove City Council, said people were being misled by leaflets being distributed.

The leaflets oppose the proposed move of Hove Library in Church Road to Hove Town Hall.

The council is putting forward the plan to provide a bigger space in a more modern building.

Coun Taylor said the leaflets did not make it clear that if the library remained where it was, space would be cut by a third because of new legislation on disabled access coming into force next year.

He said: "The leaflets are misleading. There will be no such thing as keeping the library as it is.

"The implications of retaining the library are not being made clear."

He said if a lift was installed, it would not reach all the floors.

But writer Christopher Hawtree, who has distributed thousands of the leaflets urging councillors to save the library building, said: "They do mention that a lift has to be installed and maintenance carried out.

"This figure of losing a third of the space is being bandied about off the top of their heads."

He said a lift could be put in to reach the first floor from the rear of the building and there were other ways of retaining space.

Mr Hawtree said: "It is all being rushed through in a deplorable fashion which has so arisen the hackles and suspicions of many."

Campaigner Valerie Paynter, who is disabled, said an inspection to assess the building for use by disabled people was only taking place this week. The audit had yet to be presented to councillors.

A decision will be made by the policy committee when it meets at Brighton Town Hall on Wednesday at 4pm.