A scuba-diver was shocked to find a loaded automatic pistol as she swam near the Palace Pier in Brighton.

Alphi Trigwell, 35, thought it was a toy until her diving partner Russell Ashdown took a closer look.

Alphi, who works at The Brighton Dive Company in Kemp Town, said: "We were diving round the pier at 8.30pm when I found this gun.

"I was waving it in the air after finding it, thinking it wasn't real.

"Then we realised it had live ammunition in it. I was totally shocked and a bit wary of touching it after that. I immediately handed it the skipper of the boat."

The gun was an 8mm Automatic Brunei. The couple have handed it in to the police.

Alphi said: "The police thanked us for giving them the weapon. They said they would investigate to find whether it had been involved in any crimes."