Acid-tongued pop Svengali Simon Cowell has threatened a showdown with Southern Water bosses if they take away his poodle's favoured haunt.

Simon, renowned for his curt put-downs to contestants on ITV's Pop Idol, is furious at plans to build a sewage treatment plant near his mother's home in Ovingdean.

He has written a letter to Southern Water bosses, urging them to consider other locations rather than destroying the greenfield site he has come to love.

Whenever he visits, Simon walks his dog Prancy near the proposed site, between Roedean School and the St Dunstan's centre for blind ex-servicemen and women.

In the letter, he describes himself as a "temporary resident" of Ovingdean and warns the company he will use his "very strong connections" to prevent the plant being built there.

Speaking from Chicago, where he is filming a second series of American Idol, Simon said: "I am extremely concerned about these plans. It seems insane to consider destroying this beautiful countryside to build an ugly sewage plant.

"I enjoy walking my dog Prancy and my mother's Yorkshire terrier round the Downs when I visit. I am disgusted all that may be taken away and will do everything in my power to prevent it. I will even go down to Southern Water's office to discuss it face-to-face if I have to."