clothes on beach trigger police search

Sector sergeant Trish Reeve-Fowkes said: "Police received a call to what might have been a body in the sea due to clothing being found on the beach.

"At 8pm police received a call from a member of the public that they had seen a youth lying down near one of the beach huts. The youth was said to be looking very unwell.

"Sussex Ambulance Service arrived and and an extensive search was made of the area by police with the aid of powerful 'Dragon' torches but no trace was found.

"Police then received information that there had been a group of drunken youths in the area prior to the call.

"The bag of clothing - both adult and children's wear - was identified as having been stolen over the weekend."