THE council has issued an update after flowers and tributes were mysteriously removed from a memorial of a man who died when he was hit by a police car.

Arthur Holscher-Ermert was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A259 in Peacehaven on April 30.

The 27-year-old was in a brief chase before he was hit and killed by the unmarked police car.

Arthur’s brother Karl Holscher-Ermert previously said that items left at the site of the crash had been removed.

In a post on social media, he said: “Any idea who has removed the flowers, candles, candle holders, pictures of Arthur and flags from the spot where Arthur was killed?

“It was not any of the local councils. It was a member of the community.

“Considering people are still going there daily to pay their respects as we can’t lay him to rest yet, it’s an absolute disgrace. I’m fuming.”

Amid speculation the items were removed while the grass was cut around the memorial site, East Sussex County Council has confirmed that is not the case.

“The tributes in Bramber Avenue were not moved by the county council,” a spokeswoman said.

The tributes have since been replaced at the memorial by family and friends.

More than 100 people gathered to pay their respects to Arthur at a vigil in Bramber Avenue in Peacehaven following the fatal incident.

Flowers, balloons and pictures of Arthur were placed at the site.

Police said a short chase ended in Bramber Avenue where Arthur left his Audi and was struck moments later by a second police vehicle, a black BMW, which had not been involved in the pursuit.

It was confirmed that the driver of the unmarked police car is under criminal investigation for the offence of causing death by dangerous driving. He has not been arrested.

Last week, Karl called for the officers involved in the incident to be suspended pending an inquiry.

He said: “Three weeks on, nobody has been suspended, nobody has been arrested. In a normal scenario, you’d hope that at the very least the officers involved would be suspended while the investigation is carried out.

“Sussex Police have said that Arthur’s death does not meet the required threshold for suspension - that is a disgrace and a slap in the face.”

Karl said his grief has been prolonged unnecessarily as his family and friends have not been able to have a funeral for Arthur.