The landlords of an independent school have launched a High Court bid to gain greater control over its future.

The Chittenden family says it does not trust the new managers of Newlands School in Seaford to run it successfully.

The school closed in April because of financial problems but reopened a few weeks later when wealthy parents Mike Holland and John Summers agreed a multi-million pound rescue package.

The school, which originally had about 450 pupils, is running lessons for about 80 pupils at its Newlands Court campus but hopes to return to the main site in September.

Ed Stroud, from the Chittenden family, said he was worried the school would not have enough pupils to make it financially viable.

He said: "The prospect of the school limping on from one difficulty to another, with low student numbers and lingering questions over the management, horrifies us.

"If the school failed for a second time, we could not bear the heartache this would cause to students, staff and our family."

The family wants to increase its share of votes in a creditors' Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), which makes decisions about the future of the school while it is technically in administration.

They have now lodged a court claim to give the family at least 25 per cent of votes on CVA decisions.