Angry parents staged a protest at the gates today to draw attention to their battle to save a threatened primary school.

More than 50 people stood outside Heyworth Primary School in Haywards Heath from 8.30am to 9.30am waving hand-made banners as the pupils arrived.

The parents and concerned residents in New England Road are protesting against plans to move Heyworth three miles to a site in the new Bolnore commuter village.

West Sussex County Council is considering a proposal to build a £2 million, 420-pupil school within the walled estate to replace Heyworth.

Parents say children would have to travel up to three miles to school.

Banners and placards were handed out by the demonstrators.

One, held by a baby, read: "I'm too young to walk to Bolnore". Other placards read: "Keep Heyworth - build Bolnore their own school", "Save our school" and "Leave Heyworth here."

Ronald Stearn, 51, of Bentswood Road, said he had taken time off work to attend the protest.

Mr Stearn, who has one child and two grandchildren at Heyworth, said: "We're out here protesting because children want an education and they don't want to have to walk miles to get it.

"People are very angry. We should not be put in this position.

"It's our livelihood at stake. If they take the school away we'll lose our shops and people will start to move away.

"Why can't they have their own school in Bolnore and leave us here?"

His wife Lynda said: "I feel like we are being trodden on and we're not getting any support from the school. It's awful. I went to this school, my children went to this school, and my grandchildren are at Heyworth."

The protest happened hours after a meeting at Heyworth where 50 parents voiced their concerns to headteacher Lesley Wickham, governors of the school, and Phil Whiffing, county education officer. The Argus was refused permission to attend.

Mid Sussex District Councillor Richard Goddard said: "People are genuinely concerned they are going to lose their school.

"Nobody in particular is organising the protests - people are making banners and assembling to show their horror at the proposal."

Mr Goddard said he had still not received a copy of the consultation document from the county council, even though protesters have less than a month to register complaints.

Heyworth Primary School refused to comment.

Mother Sadie Swaine said: "It's not our fault they want to build more houses in the town. Why should our children's school have to move?"

Another mother said: "We were told at last night's meeting the proposal to move the school was due to concerns about children from Bolnore having to cross the A272 to get to school.

"But what about our children?"

Copies of a petition distributed in shops and businesses have been signed by more than 1,100.

A spokeswoman for West Sussex County Council said: "This is the start of the consultation. We're saying to people let us know what you think."