A woman has died after a large emergency response following reports of a body in the water off the coast.

Police, ambulance crews and coastguard crews from Brighton and Shoreham were called to the scene close to Brighton Marina yesterday afternoon.

A coastguard helicopter from Lee-on-the-Solent in Hampshire was also called to the incident, which took place at around 4.30pm yesterday, and landed on the beach nearby.

A witness at the scene said that emergency services performed CPR for “quite a long time” to try and save the woman, who was found in the water.

She was taken away on a stretcher by the emergency services but it has since been confirmed that the woman died.

Her death is not being treated as suspicious, police confirmed.

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A police spokesman said: “Emergency services conducted a search off Brighton beach shortly after 4pm on Tuesday, April 11.

“Sadly, the body of a woman was found.

“Her next of kin have been informed.

“Her death is not being treated as suspicious and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.”