Neighbours of a private members' club are celebrating after a bid to extend its opening hours was rejected.

The Last Resort in Worthing had applied to be classed as a normal pub and to open until 2am every night except Sunday, when it would be open for business until midnight.

The club, which has been operating under normal pub opening hours, submitted a revised application before this week's licensing meeting.

Instead, it proposed being open until 1am on Monday to Wednesday and 1.30am on Thursday to Saturday.

But Worthing Borough Council's ruled it had to remain a private club and could only open half an hour later on Saturdays to 11.30pm.

James Leake, 32, who owns the flat above the club in Marine Parade was delighted.

He only found out about the application last Friday when the person planning to buy his flat pulled out when the surveyor unearthed the application.

None of his neighbours knew about the club's plans either and they had only two days to gather 34 signatures for a petition and put forward an argument against the proposals in time for the meeting.

Mr Leake, a father-of-one, said: "We held firm and didn't accept the compromise. A lot of people expected they would get an extension until 1am so we're overjoyed and surprised we managed to overturn it.

"It does show if you stick up for what you believe in you can stop people from ruining your quality of life. Thankfully, there's some justice and common sense in this town."

Mr Leake was one of four residents to tell the meeting the club's plans were unacceptable because of the close proximity of homes, a feared increase in noise levels and potential for crime and disorder.

The club takes up the ground floors of two Victorian properties along the seafront, with the rest of the block made into flats. Nearby houses back on to it.

A police report outlined concerns about it no longer being a private members' club, where people have to be a member for two days before they can enter.

Councillor John Rogers, chairman of the licensing subcommittee, said afterwards: "It is in a residential block and there are lots of people living immediately above and adjacent to it. This put it in a unique position as regards to what the residents were saying and what they thought might happen in the future.

"We thought if we gave any more extension to the hours there was a likelihood of residents being disturbed."

The owner of the club, who has up to 21 days to appeal the decision, was unavailable for comment.