Angry villagers are protesting against plans to shake up their parish boundaries.

Thousands of people living in the Thakeham, Storrington, Sullington, Ashington and Washington area are being asked for their views on possible changes, tabled by Horsham District Council.

Schemes being considered include merging the parishes of Storrington and Sullington as well as forming a new parish council at Heath Common.

Heath Common is currently covered by four parish councils, Thakeham, Sullington, Storrington and Ashington, which residents say is confusing and cumbersome.

For example, people in neighbouring streets are paying different council tax charges, depending on which parish council area they fall into.

But residents in Thakeham are against the idea as it would mean it would lose a large section of its existing 2,140 population to a newly-formed Heath Common council.

Rocky Hitchcock, of the Thakeham Village Action Group, said the changes could end up costing residents more money.

He said: "If Thakeham was to lose areas like the Davis Estate and Crescent Rise areas in the south to a new Heath Common council, nearly a third of our parish council's income, generated by the precept that residents pay in the council tax, would go and that might mean a significant increase in rates. In addition, the historic shape of the parish would be destroyed."

Thakeham Parish Council has already indicated it is against the proposals, although Sullington and Storrington councils have said they are interested in the possibility of a merger, which would create a population of 6,375.

The district council believes the changes are necessary to make the area run more efficiently and smoothly and help ease confusion for residents.

It says the merger would also save money as the parishes would not double up on services.