Two people died trapped in their burning car after crashing on a country road.

Two cars collided on the A273 at Clayton, near Hassocks, close to the Jack and Jill pub, on Saturday night.

The bodies of the driver and passenger of what is believed to be a Ford Escort were trapped in the burning wreckage and had to be cut free by firefighters.

The vehicle was travelling north on Clayton Hill, near Hassocks, when it collided with a Ford Mondeo travelling south.

The 38-year-old local male driver and his 36-year-old male passenger died at the scene.

The driver of the Mondeo, a 36-year-old Hove man, sustained serious, though not life-threatening, injuries and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The two bodies were taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

Inspector Peter Holley, of Haywards Heath road policing unit, said: "We have not been able to carry out a formal identification of the bodies and the accident is under investigation. We believe one of the cars lost control."

In a separate accident, a woman escaped unhurt from a collision after driving the wrong way down a dual carriageway.

The woman, driving a Suzuki, did a u-turn on the A27 near Sussex University's Falmer campus after taking a wrong exit on Saturday.

She then drove the wrong way down the A27 and was in collision with a Renault Clio.

Firefighters had to use power tools and cutting equipment to cut the door off the Renault to release the female driver from the wreckage.

She was taken by ambulance to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

She was said to have a suspected fractured collarbone.

Sub Officer Grant Eager, based at Brighton fire station, was at the scene and said: "This was a massive head-on crash.

"It is really amazing the injuries were not much more serious as it was such a big accident."

The cars blocked both lanes and traffic had to be redirected on to a slip road.

The road was completely cleared of the wreckage by 2pm and traffic returned to normal.