An 82-year-old man missing for 18 hours was found by a rabbit hunter alive in a ditch.

Ernest Skeet, known as Jim, was last seen near the Wyevale garden centre on the A24 at Findon on Thursday after leaving his home in The Oval shortly after 7pm.

Concern mounted as police said the pensioner was in poor health.

Search parties, helicopters and sniffer dogs were all used in the search.

Police said time was running out for Mr Skeet and they feared the worst until he was found just before 3pm yesterday in open countryside three miles from his home.

Stephen Haynes, 49, from Littlehampton, was out shooting rabbits when he found Mr Skeet.

He said: "I climbed over a fence and then suddenly saw someone lying in a ditch. It was a horrible feeling but when I got to him I realised he was okay.

"He was really confused and dehydrated but didn't seem to have any injuries.

"Because it was a ditch I didn't have a signal on my phone, so I ran up to the top and found two people, who said they were out looking for the gentleman anyway.

"We called for an ambulance and went back down to help him until it arrived.

I'm glad I found him because it's a steep hill and the search teams may not have seen him for a long time."

Mr Skeet had fallen and was trapped in a bush at Long Furlong on the Downs west of Findon.

Once the alarm was raised, search teams were able to direct an ambulance to the spot, where he was also reunited with his family. He suffered minor cuts and bruises and was able to walk to the ambulance. Last night he was recovering at Worthing Hospital with his family.

Supt Lance Gray, of Sussex Police, thanked the volunteers who had joined the search teams.

He said: "We were obviously becoming very concerned for Mr Skeet's welfare and he was lucky that last night was reasonably mild for this time of year.

"We're delighted to have brought the incident to a happy conclusion."

A police spokesman said between 20 and 30 officers were used in the search and that significant police time and resources had been used.

It is believed Mr Skeet was walking either to or from the garden centre when he became disorientated and lost.

Some estimates by those out with the search teams suggest he could have walked at least 15 miles and that he was very lucky not to have spent a second night out in the open.