Villagers say they are furious at having to clamber over a pile of builders' spoil to get to their local meeting place.

Parents taking children to a pre-school group in Thakeham Village Hall, near Storrington, found the 200-yard access road blocked with soil left by contractors.

Lynne Willmer, who ran a youth club at the hall for three years, said: "The fact is that as a village we have no meeting place, no pub, no shop and now no village hall we can get to without mountaineering and climbing over a mud-blocked path."

Jean Locker, who is secretary of the Thakeham Village Action Group, said: "Simply to dump soil without any warning strikes one as outrageous.

"Villagers would like to see access to the village hall restored. Clearly as the hall has been in use for many years, it's somewhat surprising to find the owner taking such action without any warning."

Leslie Kerrison is chairman of Chesswood Produce Ltd, which leases the site to Dutch company Heveco. The company employs 300 people growing mushrooms.

He said exploratory drainage work on a neighbouring field had caused the problem.

Mr Kerrison said: "When contractors dug the trench some of the spoil was piled on the road and has restricted access, meaning you can't drive a truck there.

"There are a number of people in Thakeham who moan to anyone they can get hold of.

"It's a complete storm in a teacup. I have contacted the contractors and they will be arriving today to make sure the access is sufficiently cleared to get to the village hall."