A pub manager's livelihood has been put in jeopardy by plans to turn her pub into flats, two months after she started the job.

Rachael Morgan was devastated when councillors approved the plans despite protests from villagers.

Ms Morgan, 22, said she was so excited when she landed her dream job as manager of the Sandrock Inn in Ditchling, she cried tears of joy.

However, those tears had turned to despair as her future was left uncertain.

Ms Morgan moved from Brighton to Ditchling to manage the pub with her partner, Darren Cross, 27, in November.

She said: "It has always been my dream to manage a pub. It's hard work, and you have to love it to do it, but I love it.

"I've worked so hard to get to this position and now it's all been taken away.

"If we had had any idea this was going to happen we wouldn't have moved here. We only found out about the plans ten days ago."

On Tuesday evening, despite 700 signatures on a petition protesting against the bid, Lewes District Council's planning committee reluctantly approved plans to convert the pub into four flats.

The decision came just days before Ms Morgan was to launch food at the pub in a bid to turn its fortunes around.

She said: "It was a challenge but I was sure we could do it. We are going to go ahead with our first Sunday roasts this weekend but we don't know what the future holds."

She said the company was not yet sure what would happen with the tenancy.

The villagers of Ditchling have fought for more than a year to save the Sandrock from developers.

Ditchling Inns, owner of the tenancy, runs 19 pubs in and around Brighton.

The land is owned by Stephen Woodward.

When Mr Woodward bought the Sandrock in October 2001 he told residents he had no plans to close but this time last year a bid was submitted by his agents to turn the pub into two houses and build three terraced cottages and two semi-detached houses in the garden.

After widespread protest, the proposals were turned down in May.

Villagers, who fear developments like this will destroy the character of the village, thought the pub was safe.

Andrew Pridell of Clifford Dann, agents for the developers, said: "I don't know what the plans are. The developers have to decide whether to sell the land or build.

"The bottom line is if you don't use it you lose it. The Sandrock hasn't made money for years."

No one from Ditchling Inns was available for comment.