Albion celebrated their return to Division One with a fantastic victory.

Goals by Steve Melton, Paul Brooker and Bobby Zamora clinched a thumping win for the Seagulls in Martin Hinshelwood's first match in charge.

It was a stunning result and performance, achieved with Hinshelwood's 17-year-old nephew Adam making an outstanding debut in the centre of defence in place of unwell skipper Danny Cullip.

Melton latched on to Zamora's precision pass to slot Albion into a deserved 29th minute lead.

Melton limped off to be replaced by Paul Rogers shortly afterwards, but the below strength Seagulls showed no signs of being unsettled by their injury and illness problems.

Any hopes Burnley had of mounting a comeback before a partisan crowd of 14,738 at Turf Moor evaporated on 50 minutes when French defender Arthur Gnohere was sent off for head-butting Gary Hart.

Albion punished the ten men in style. The electrifying Paul Brooker raced away to put them 2-0 up on 65 minutes and Zamora nonchalantly tucked away the third three minutes later.

It was due reward for Zamora after he had a header from a Brooker cross controversially disallowed for offside in the eighth minute and another header, with Brooker the supplier again, cleared off the line after 13 minutes.

Lee Briscoe tapped in a consolation for Burnley deep into injury time.

Live matchday coverage of Albion's Saturday kick offs at thisisthealbion.co.uk