A Save Our Sands campaign has been launched following the closure of a popular beach.

Newhaven Port and Properties (NPP), which owns Newhaven harbour, has barricaded steps to the town's West Beach for safety reasons.

It says parts of the wall that runs along the back of the beach are dangerous and could fall on people who lean against it.

Residents, businesses and politicians are calling for the site to be made safe and reopened as soon as possible.

Newhaven Town Council member Carla Butler said: "Newhaven Liberal Democrats have launched a Save Our Sands campaign.

"West Beach is a completely sandy beach enclosed within the western harbour breakwater, ideal for paddling and making sand castles at low tide.

"We want to ensure work is undertaken to make this area safe at the soonest opportunity so the beach is open for the summer."

Lewes MP Norman Baker is also supporting the campaign.

He said: "I call on Newhaven Port and Properties to listen to the concerns of local residents and reopen this much-loved public space as soon as possible.

"If repairs need to be made then so be it, but in the amount of time it took to measure, construct and make the barrier plus drill the holes on the promenade surely the repairs could have been completed or, at the very least, be well under way."

Fisherman Frank Shaw, manager of Harbour Lights restaurant on Fort Road, said: "Obviously if the wall has to be mended it has to be mended but it would be good if it could be done as soon as possible."

NPP manager Phillipe Echelard said: "The beach has been closed for security reasons.

"We need to carry out vital work on the wall, which has two large cracks in it. We have to evaluate what work needs to be done so, at present, we cannot put a time limit on how long the beach will be closed off."

As any fencing put up around the wall would get washed away, "regretfully" the whole area had to be closed off, he added.

Earlier this year NPP closed Newhaven's landmark breakwater, which was a primary fishing spot for non-commercial anglers, for six weeks, again citing safety reasons.

A lookout point in the harbour which was shut last summer has remained closed.

Coun Butler said: "There are fears this is all about saving money and the beach will not get reopened. That's why we have to campaign to make sure that doesn't happen."

Newhaven Lib Dems have written to NPP asking them to make repairs to the West Beach wall as soon as possible and launched a petition.

To sign the petition, visit www.leweslibdems.org.uk .