Couple stunned by letter box firework

The rocket did not start a fire but the smoke it released set off the fire alarm at the house in Chester Avenue at around 7.30pm on Monday.

On hearing the alarm, the couple, who were upstairs at the time, went to investigate and called the police and fire service.

Firefighter Steve Boniface, Worthing's red watch commander, said: "The couple had heard a bang but thought it was outside. As luck would have it, it didn't set anything alight.

"If it had set something alight in the hallway it could have trapped the people in their home. The couple were very shaken."

Worthing police sergeant Ian Kerr said the incident was being treated as a case of "kids messing about" and was not being investigated any further.