Two new mobile libraries will soon be taking books to thousands of people living in rural areas of West Sussex.

A new mobile library, based at Bognor, is due to be delivered to West Sussex County Council later this month.

Now library chiefs have unveiled plans to replace a similar service based at Storrington, which serves small towns and rural areas in and around Worthing and Horsham.

Councillors have been told in a report on the service: "This is of particular importance as the current vehicle has been off the road for essential repairs on an excessive number of occasions, undermining public confidence in the service although users have remained very loyal."

The three mobile libraries operated by the council issue around 83,000 books a year.

Library chiefs plan to introduce new schedules for the service next year and launched a publicity campaign to make sure that people without easy access to public transport, know what is available.

A report to the county council's cabinet says that mobile libraries are one of the ways the service as a whole can help tackle problems of social exclusion in West Sussex.