Hundreds of placard-waving demonstrators took to the streets of Eastbourne to protest about the proposed closure of the Old Town Library.

It was a last-ditch attempt to sway East Sussex county councillors, who tomorrow are expected finally to decide whether to shut the library in Victoria Drive.

The demonstrators - ranging from toddlers and schoolchildren to pensioners - carried placards reading 'Save our library', 'Leave our library alone' and 'Conservatives please conserve our library'.

Petitions containing more than 2,000 names will be handed to Michael Tunwell, chairman of the Tory-run county council, before the meeting.

The demonstrators say the library is a crucial resource and the area will suffer if it is lost.

About 200 people a day use the library and it serves 3,500 pupils at local schools.

Among those who have signed the petitions are children from Pashley Down Infants School in the Old Town.

The library is one of several county council-run organisations facing closure.

Lib Dem councillor Maurice Skilton plans to put a motion to tomorrow's council meeting to preserve the library.

He said: "I think the county council must listen to the views of people who turned out in such strong numbers on Saturday.

"By closing the library the county council predicts it will save £26,000, which is a minute amount of money compared to its overall budget."

Veronica Clark, head teacher at 270-pupil Pashley Down Infant School in Old Town, said: "We are in shock because library visits have been such a large part of school life that to see it go would be terrible."

Mother-of-two Diane Cooper, 34, said: "It would be a travesty if they closed the library as it is at the heart of the Old Town community."

Student Katherine Fairhead, 19, who lives near the library-, said: "A lot of young families use the library and they would miss it if it closed down."

The county council meets at Pelham House, Lewes, from 10.30am tomorrow.