A group of revellers got stuck in a lift after too many of them squeezed in.

The fire brigade had to rescue the ten people from the lift at Osprey House in Sillwood Road, Brighton, early today after residents were woken by the lift alarm.

Firefighters wound the lift back up to the fifth floor and prised the doors open.

Witnesses said the group seemed to be in a party mood, laughing and joking despite the hour-long ordeal.

Caretaker Arthur Smedley let the fire brigade in. He said: "They quickly got the lift open and found ten people in there, even though only eight are supposed to get in at once.

"I didn't see them but apparently they walked off laughing. I don't think they were residents, they had probably been to a party in one of the flats."