An eight-year-old girl sparked a huge search operation when she fled from her mother after an argument.

She walked into a seafront hotel in Brighton and told staff she was meeting her mother there.

She had jumped out of her mother's car in Percival Terrace, Brighton, and ran more than half a mile along the seafront before entering the hotel to hide.

Workers at the Lanes Hotel, in Marine Parade, sat the blonde, blue-eyed girl in a lounge in front of a TV and gave her a can of cola and a packet of crisps.

Meanwhile, her mother had telephoned police and a huge search was under way.

Officers combed the seafront and the force helicopter scoured the area.

Two hours after the girl arrived, hotel staff became concerned.

Receptionist and barman John Hocking, 47, said: "We got her to telephone her mother twice but she told us there was no reply.

"Then she said her mother may have gone to her sister's home and that's when we realised something was up.

"She gave us a strange telephone number and, after checking it, we realised the code was for Leicester. We called the police straight away."

Officers picked up the girl and she was quickly reunited with her mother.

Mr Hocking said staff felt a little guilty about the incident. He said: "We heard the police helicopter hovering above outside but never thought for one moment it had anything to do with this girl.

"She was so quiet and polite, and sat there happily watching the quiz programme Countdown and then Stargate SG1."

Police said hotel staff had nothing to feel guilty about.

Inspector Lorraine Morrison said: "They looked after the girl and made sure she was safe and well. We couldn't ask for more than that."