A meeting about the future of a school threatened with closure erupted in fury as parents vented their anger at education bosses.

There were shouts and cries of derision from the 200-strong audience as they discussed the future of troubled East Brighton College of Media Arts (Comart) in Whitehawk, Brighton.

Chairman of governors Derek Bown struggled to maintain control and both David Hawker, director for children, families and schools, and assistant director Liz Wylie were reduced to shouting at times to make themselves heard.

At one point, several residents, amid clapping and cheering, accused Mr Hawker of not supporting the school in Wilson Avenue and the wider community.

Mr Hawker shouted furiously that he had always supported the school and would continue to do so.

He said: "We have given the school extra money to enable it to improve, which it has done.

"But the local community must be convinced the school is improving sufficiently that the parents are convinced enough to send their children there.

"We are not wanting to close the school. We want to consult on this.

"This is the beginning of the consultation. It isn't a final decision."

Brighton and Hove City Council is considering shutting the school because of falling pupil numbers.

Only 450 pupils attend the school, which can take up to 900, with 55 per cent of Whitehawk parents choosing to send their children elsewhere.

One parent at the meeting said: "My daughter is there now. She's 13. What chance has she got if it closes because it's going to be right in the middle of her GCSEs?

"When the closure was leaked I tried to get her moved to another school but couldn't.

"If there is no room for one child, what are they going to do when there are 450 that need moving?"

Ms Wylie told parents the dwindling number of pupils meant the school's budget was also shrinking and it was running with a persistent large debt.

There was condemnation of the way the public meeting was held. Parents and residents were divided into workshops and asked to come up with three questions to put to the education panel but many felt they should have been allowed to have their say openly.