An ice skating star was taken to hospital after a stunt went wrong on a show's gala opening night.

Lindsay Peralta, 29, took a knock on the head when a fake spotlight fell on her at the Colours Of Dance spectacular at the Brighton Centre.

The foam prop was dropped from the roof rig in the middle of a comedy routine and was supposed to land harmlessly on the ice.

The audience gasped as the light fell while Lindsay was standing directly beneath it.

She was helped off the ice by her skating partner Billy Sulima.

One audience member said: "We were really shocked. We did not know whether it was part of the show or not until they told us it was prank that had gone wrong."

Olympic gold medalist Robin Cousins, choreographer for the show, said Lindsay was taken to hospital as a precaution but would be back with the show today.

The Brighton Centre's Wendy Walton said: "The rink here is smaller than the one the skaters are used to and she was in the wrong place by just a few inches."

Thousands turned out last night to see the show's UK premiere.

The gala night helped raise £4,368 for the Argus Appeal 2002.

For almost a quarter of a century, the ice show at the Brighton Centre has been a major feature in the South-East's entertainment calendar.

This year's show, again from the Holiday on Ice stable, premiered to a sell-out audience, some of them winners of a competition run by The Argus for free tickets.

This year's production is choreographed by Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins, who lives in Brighton.

Celebrities in the audience included Page Three girl Jamelah, Olympic skating champion Jane Torvill, former EastEnder Russell Floyd and broadcaster Simon Fanshawe.