A mayor who claims he was snubbed at the opening of a new school has demanded it doesn't happen again.

Peacehaven Mayor Stewart Murray was furious after being "ignored" during the opening ceremony at Hoddern Junior School, Hoddern Avenue, Peacehaven.

Now Peacehaven Town Council has written to East Sussex County Council, the education authority, to complain about his treatment.

They want the mayor to take centre stage when Peacehaven's new secondary school, near the Meridian Centre, opens in September.

Mr Murray took a day off work to represent the town council at the opening of the junior school.

But he was made to feel "surplus to requirements" and angered that people from Peacehaven were under-represented at the ceremony.

He said: "I sat at the back and I was not even acknowledged as being there. As far as I was concerned it was a snub and I felt slighted.

"Other people have done all the work and East Sussex steals all the glory."

He said local people had battled for 30 years to get a secondary school in the town and their struggle deserved recognition.

He said: "I would say a Peacehaven person should open the school, whether it's the mayor or someone from the parents' action group."

Peacehaven county councillor John Livings said local people were often ignored at opening ceremonies, such as Hoddern School.

He said: "The people who really work for Peacehaven just get ignored. I certainly agree that our mayor should at least have been on the rostrum."

No one from the county council was available to comment.