A police dog handler foiled a bid to stage an illegal rave at a beauty spot.

The dog handler from Hove police station had gone to exercise his animal on Devil's Dyke, near Brighton, after finishing work on Saturday night.

While they were walking on the Downs they spotted a truck backed up to the entrance of a field.

Another 20 vehicles were parked nearby and the officer, who has not been named, realised a sound system was being set up for a rave.

He alerted Devil's Dyke ranger Charlie Cain, who looks after the area for the National Trust.

Sergeant Dave Bettiss of Hove police said: "The ranger was there quickly to make it clear that these people did not have permission to be there.

"Because of the prompt action of our officer and the ranger we were able to stop this illegal rave before it could get going.

"As we saw with the rave at Telscombe Tye over the August Bank Holiday, it is far easier to do that than to try to stop these things once they are in full swing.

"There have been a number of raves on land at Devil's Dyke in recent years.

"They have caused problems for farmers and their animals, as well as noise disturbance for people living in villages in the area."