A van driver has been arrested after a fatal crash involving three cars and a lorry on a road known as 'death mile'.

One woman died and another is in a critical condition in hospital after the head-on collision on the A27 at Selmeston yesterday.

A 20-year-old woman from Bexhill was declared dead at the scene.

She had been travelling in a Fiat Seicento driven by a 20-year-old man from St Leonards who was taken to hospital with slight injuries.

A 22-year-old from Cirencester, Gloucestershire, who had been driving a Renault Clio car had to be airlifted to Eastbourne District General Hospital by helicopter and was today fighting for her life in intensive care.

She had been travelling with a 22-year-old man from Eastbourne, who was also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The driver of a Ford Transit Luton van was later arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The 22-year-old man from Worthing and his 38-year-old male passenger suffered slight injuries.

The van driver has been bailed pending further enquiries.

A BMW was also involved in the major pile-up and its driver - a man from Littlehampton - was taken to hospital with slight injuries.

Anyone with any information should contact the Road Policing Unit at Polegate on 0845 6070999 quoting Operation Glencat.