Up to 1,000 pensioners and disabled people could be left without a vital lifeline if a bus service they rely on is axed.

People in Seaford, Peacehaven, Newhaven, Lewes and Eastbourne use the dial-a-ride service to visit the doctor and to do their weekly shopping.

Many say they would be left housebound without the service.

But the dial-a-ride scheme, operated by Community Transport for the Lewes Area (CTLA), could be axed.

East Sussex County Council will decide today whether to cut or withdraw funds from the service as part of a money-saving exercise.

Users of the service are now begging councillors to save the valuable resource.

Joseph Partridge, 93, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Sutton Road, Seaford, has been using the service for three years and says he is dependent on the transport to do his weekly shopping.

He said the eight-mile round trip to the supermarket in Seaford is the only time he gets out of the house as he cannot walk far without a frame.

Mr Partridge said: "It was a shock when I heard they might be cutting out the transport.

"I am completely and utterly on my own and house-bound. I have just had an operation on my bowel so I cannot leave the flat in any case.

"The only time I leave is to go to Sainsbury's.

"If they stopped it I would have to get a taxi which I cannot afford to do.

"It's the only way I can buy food to support myself."

Kate Eggleshaw, 92, also relies on the service to take her into Seaford.

She said: "We shall be completely devastated if it is taken away.

"I use it to go to the doctor and the hospital - it is so important.

"The thought of being stuck between these four walls for the rest of my life is depressing.

"I like to go out and meet other people. I don't know how they can cut it when it is so essential.

"Things like this really make a difference to people's lives."

Wheelchair-bound Coralie Clement relies on the service to take her from her home in Ringmer into town.

She said: "We will be devastated because it will take our independence away."

Gill Hart, office manager at the CTLA, said they were only told about the money-saving proposals a few weeks ago.

She said: "They are proposing to cut the whole service in July.

"The people who use the bus are very dependent on us because they cannot get on to public transport.

"Many of them find it hard to walk more than a few paces and some of them are in wheelchairs."

The council is recommending that the Seaford and Lewes dial-a-ride schemes be combined using the same vehicle which would be operated on selected days each week.

This would save the council £26,000. Another £12,000 will be saved if funding is withdrawn from the Eastbourne and district dial-a-ride as recommended.

A spokesman for the council said: "The county council has had to make some very tough financial decisions this year due to a third year of poor Government grant increase.

"We have invested heavily in adult social care and kept the council tax rise below five per cent.

"This has required savings and included in this was a decision to reduce subsidies to bus services.

"All the subsidised services were reviewed to identify which services provide the best value for money.

"No formal decision on which services will be affected has yet been made.

"However, the lead member for transport and environment will be asked to make a decision on Monday April 24.

"In order to prepare operators, we have already notified dial-a-ride services in Eastbourne, Lewes, Hastings, Peacehaven and Seaford that a decision may be made to withdraw their funding.

"The county council always tries to give contractors the maximum advance warning of withdrawal of finance.

"However, if the decision is taken to withdraw funding from these services, the contracts would continue as normal and the savings would have to be found by withdrawing funding from other services."