Panic spread through a packed nightclub after a teenager let off an illegal pepper spray.

Police were called to the Honey Club, in Brighton, at about 1.25am yesterdayTHURS after a clubber let off the cannister on the dance floor in front of two of his friends.

Bouncers grabbed the 19-year-old and detained him until police arrived. Officers arrested him on suspicion of assault and possessing an offensive weapon.

Police today said it was "lucky" that no one was close enough to the pepper spray to suffer any serious effects at the seafront venue, which is popular with students on Thursday nights.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: "Pepper spray is essentially an incapacitant, illegal in the UK but used by law enforcement agencies. It can cause severe burning sensations to the eyes and skin if discharged in an enclosed space or close to an individual - hence it clearly not being a plaything.

"Luckily, the two people in the nightclub were not close enough to suffer any lasting effects of the spray, but the sensation would not have been very comfortable for them."

The 19-year-old suspect, from Hove, was taken to the police station in John Street, Brighton, where he was being questioned by officers yesterday.

A spokesman for the Honey Club said: "Precautionary measures were taken immediately following this incident, and the night's entertainment resumed shortly afterwards.

"It is extremely disappointing that a tiny minority of individuals feel the need to attempt to secrete weapons of any description when visiting leisure facilities such as clubs and bars.

"We continue to attempt to identify such persons at the earliest opportunity in order to safeguard our law-abiding customers."