A father has died after being struck by a police car.

Pedestrian James Sutton from St Leonards was hit on the A259 at White Rock, at the junction with A21 Havelock Road by a police car responding to a report of a car being driven by a disqualified driver.

The 46-year-old died at the scene at around 7.20pm despite efforts to save him by police officers and paramedics.

An investigation has been launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Surrey police later apprehended a BMW and two men in the car were reported for consideration of prosecution for driving licence and insurance offences.

Mr Sutton’s daughter Chloe told the BBC she had heard on social media that someone had died in an accident on the seafront before finding out it was her own father.

She added that she and her family want answers about what happened.

Tributes and bouquets of flowers were left at the scene. One card read: “Dear James, we’ll always look after your little girl Chloe. Peace in the afterlife, from Clive.”

Chief Inspector Natalie Moloney said: “We are co-operating fully with the IPCC and our thoughts are with all those involved and particularly with Mr Sutton’s family, to whom we are offering support at this very distressing time for them.”

A spokesman added: “The full circumstances of the incident have yet to be established and it will be referred to the IPCC.”

The police car was carrying two officers, one of whom was slightly injured in the collision.

Chris Paraskeva, 61, who |lives opposite, witnessed the aftermath. He said: “I returned home five minutes after it happened. I could see CPR being carried out on someone.

“There was a bus parked further up. There was one police vehicle and then others arrived. In total, there were 12 police vehicles.

“They were just working on somebody lying down, then the ambulance arrived, and it went on and on for some time. It was apparent to me that he was dead not long after the ambulance arrived.”