Thrill seekers have been warned of the dangers of tombstoning after pier jumpers were seen risking their lives at the weekend.

Police warned adrenaline junkies that although leaping from piers and other structures is not illegal, they could die or injure themselves from landing in shallow water.

Crowds on Brighton beach watched as three young men leapt from the roof of one of the buildings on the Palace Pier on Saturday afternoon.

Beach lifeguards arrived in a boat within seconds of them landing in the water, but the men climbed back up the metal supports of the pier for another go.

When they reached the top, they again leapt over the railings and into the water.

Police community support officers and lifeguards tried to encourage them to come ashore for their own safety but were ignored.

One of the trio tried a third attempt, but had only climbed a couple of metres up the seaweed covered pillars when he fell back again.

Holidaymaker James Wallin, 30, of Birmingham, watched the drama unfold.

He said: “Luckily no one was hurt but it could have gone terribly wrong.

“I thought it was very irresponsible, there were a lot of children who were on the beach who might have thought it was a good idea to copy them.”

Inspector Nathan Evans of Sussex Police, said: “You don’t know what’s under the surface, you don’t know how deep the water is and you could quite literally kill yourself.

“We know this is a particular problem in Brighton.

“It is a very risky activity. There is all sorts of buried material under the pier and we would urge people to make sure their children don't do this, and if they are adults then they should be setting a better example.

“This is a long term but infrequent problem.

“It is not illegal what they are doing but it is risking their own health. We know people have been injured in the past.

“There is a lot of material which isn't visible under the sea which could cause serious harm or death.”