Hockey players have backed a controversial proposal for a floodlit sports pitch which could save them a 30-mile round trip to play home games.

More than 100 residents launched a campaign against a previous plan over fears about noise and light pollution.

Steven Jewell, head of St Andrew's School in Sackville Road, Worthing, applied for planning permission to build the artifical grass pitch in December 2000 but Worthing Borough Council threw out the application after scores of complaints.

Residents whose houses would overlook the pitch signed a 130-strong petition against it.

Mr Jewell has put in another application including measures to overcome the previous objections, such as trees to shield neighbouring houses from floodlights and mud barriers to minimise noise.

Now the school has the support of Worthing Hockey Club, whose members have had to make weekly journeys to Bognor for training and to Portslade for matches for the last five years.

Rob Warner, the club's manager, said: "In Worthing we only have one artificial pitch but places like Chichester have three and Eastbourne has four.

"It's a community project and very important to a lot of people in the town. We're getting a lot of support because there are just not enough facilities here.

"Our men's teams have to play at Portslade every time.

"They have to do a 30-mile round rail trip to do a home game. Some of our ladies' teams have to travel to Littlehampton so it's in the interest of the club to have a pitch that's more local.

"People are getting a bit annoyed at having to travel. Every game is like an away game.

"The town needs this for the youngsters. Kids have nothing to do and they're bored out of their brains round here so this would give them something to do."

However, residents in nearby Congreve Road are still opposed to the plans.

Dave and Jill Martin, whose garden backs on to the proposed site, are organising a petition against the development for the second year running.

Mrs Martin, a mother of three, said: "At the moment it's pretty quiet out of school hours so we are worried about the noise and light pollution this pitch would bring.

"There are already problems with not being able to see the stars but if their floodlights were up it would be dangerous to even look at them.

"As they will be playing hockey it will be really noisy in the evenings with the clicking of hockey sticks or shouting and swearing.

"I have got three children under the age of eight and I don't want them to hear any foul language from adult players.

"If they start holding their hockey festivals here it will be a nightmare. At the last one in another location there were 500 people. We already have problems with parking round here.

"We're also worried about hockey balls coming over our fence and people being able to climb the mud banks to come into our garden and get them."

Worthing Borough Council is expected to decide on the proposal on February 18.

Development control manager James Appleton said: "It was rejected a year ago because of the impact of the lights on adjoining properties.

"The applicants have sought to try and overcome previous reasons for refusal but we have already had letters from residents against this."