A campaigner has launched a petition to stop a sex shop opening near his home.

Pensioner Steve Stevens is outraged at plans by St Leonards-based company Shop Tonight Ltd to convert a former electrical store in Rowlands Road, Worthing.

Mr Stevens is now calling on as many people as possible to sign his petition against the plans.

He will be asking local shops, businesses and churches to take copies of the petitions so he can find as many signatures as possible.

The petition calls on Worthing Borough Council to reject the company's application on the grounds it is out of keeping with the character of the area.

The petition says the road where the shop would be based includes family shops with three charities stores, many restaurants and a Salvation Army headquarters, hall and tea room.

Former Second World War pilot Mr Stevens, 85, said the petition also refers to there being no suitable areas in Worthing for a sex shop and says it would attract undesirable people to the area.

He said: "We are asking the council not only to refuse this application but any other one that comes up in the town.

"This is not the right place for a shop like this and we will be fighting this application all the way."

Mr Stevens said the Shop Tonight director Kathleen Sutton had been in contact with him to talk about his concerns.

He said: "I told her I was not happy with the idea of the shop.

"It may only be selling one type of thing but if people are looking for something else, who is to say it couldn't be got for them from one of the other stores or by mail order?

"It is the whole idea of it all that I do not like."

Several shops in Worthing now sell adult goods discreetly from upstairs rooms but do not need licences because it is a sideline to their main trade.

Shop Tonight, which has outlets in Eastbourne, Hastings and St Leonards, is expected to open whether it is licensed by the council or not.

A licence means the shop could sell a wider range of products, including more explicit DVDs, but even without council permission they could still display adult products such as clothes, toys, soft porn magazines and DVDs.

Miss Sutton said the shop would be very tasteful rather than sleazy.

Campaigners have got until November 10 to hand in their petition before the application is discussed by borough councillors.

Kathleen Sutton said: "We do not have mail order. If customers want to travel to another shop and buy something, they can but if we are not licensed to sell that item we would not order it in for them.

"Surely it would be better for Mr Stevens to work with the company to make sure the shop is something that the residents and other shop owners like."