BRIGHTON Pier was closed as a naked man ran amok on the popular tourist attraction yesterday evening.

The nude man was seen leaping from roof to roof as he evaded security guards, before jumping into the sea.

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He then escaped from a coastguard boat which had rescued him and climbed back onto the pier, according to witnesses.

The Argus:

Stunned onlooker Ben Johnson, who managed to take a picture of the man, said: "I was shocked, it's my first time in Brighton and It's a Tuesday.

"The naked man was running around the pier.

The Argus:

"He jumped onto Horatio's bar roof, then on the dolphin derby roof." 

Police, the fire service and the coastguard are at the scene, trying to keep the situation under control and contain the man.

The Argus:

Services tried to lift up part of the pier to reach the man (Picture: Ben Johnson) 

Mr Johnson added: "Now he's under the pier.

"There are coastguard, police, fire and ambulance services on the scene."

Brandon Duke watched from the beach as the man jumped from the pier into the water.

He said: "I saw a naked male jump into the sea.

"He was trying to impersonate a helicopter as he jumped off

"He swung his lower region around in circles to re-create a 'helicopter'.

"And then he jumped."

Mr Duke added that the coastguard found the man in the water but he managed to jump back up onto the pier.

A Police spokesman said: "We received the call yesterday at 7.30pm.

"The man was seen running across the tops of roofs on Brighton Pier.

"He then jumped into the water.

"We attended the scene as well as the coastguard and fire service."

The naked man hid underneath the pier as emergency services attempt to coax him to safety."