A disabled woman who depends on a dial-a-ride bus to go shopping has branded a decision to cut back the service as "disgusting".

Coralie Clement, who lives in Ringmer, usually gets the bus into the town centre once a week to carry out chores and buy essential items.

Many residents in Lewes, Ringmer, Seaford, Peacehaven, Eastbourne and Rye have relied on the buses for the past ten years to go to the shops, bank, doctor or hospital.

But they now face being trapped at home after East Sussex County Council decided to reduce the service.

A review carried out by the council found that the service was losing money.

At a county council meeting in Lewes yesterday, Councillor Matthew Lock, the lead member for transport and environment, decided to reduce dial-a-ride services while pursuing an alternative source of funding.

The elderly and disabled people who use the service have blasted the decision.

Miss Clement said: "The council has asked the parish and town councils to get together to find a way of funding the service but it should not have to be that way.

"They say the service is not well-used but there are 33 users alone in Ringmer and five of us are in wheelchairs.

"The buses can only fit two wheelchairs on at a time and if it is only going to come to Ringmer one day in a week, which is what has been recommended, then we will only be able to get into town once a month which is appalling."

The current dial-a-ride service will come to an end on July 31.

Miss Clement added: "The decision has been made but we still don't know which day the bus will come to us.

"How can we get on with our daily lives when they are taking our freedom away?

"People are getting so depressed because they feel there is nothing they can do."

Miss Clement and other residents have approached the parish council to ask them to partially fund a bus on a temporary basis.

She said: "It is the users of the service who have been trying to sort out the problem when it should be the council. But they have not consulted us once."

Coun Lock said: "This is not a decision I have taken lightly.

"I want to review how bus services are provided across the county and how we can continue to provide these in the future.

"In the meantime our aim is to keep as many bus services as possible while the review is taking place."