A fire which gutted a seafront £1 million penthouse apartment was caused by a dropped cigarette.

The blaze at Brunswick Terrace in Hove ripped through the property two weeks ago.

Neighbouring flats were evacuated and hundreds of people gathered on Hove seafront to watch as 20ft flames and plumes of black smoke filled the sky.

More than 50 firefighters, ten engines and two aerial platforms, from stations across Sussex, attended the blaze which took about two hours to bring under control.

No-one was hurt in the March 31 fire but adjoining properties to the penthouse suffered some damage.

The A259 Kingsway seafront road was closed for about three hours, causing jams in surrounding roads.

Adrian Brown, of East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service, said the fire was caused accidentally by a cigarette which set a sofa alight.

He said: "I would just like to reiterate how important it is for people to be very careful with cigarettes."

Mr Brown said there could have been casualties if the building hadn't been fitted with fire alarms.

And he warned it was important homeowners had alarms fitted and made sure they were in full working order.