A terrified woman dialled 999 after hearing drilling sounds outside her home - only for police to find her faulty sex aid was causing the noise.

Officers raced to the scene amid fears raiders were breaking into a disused, nearby building site but found nothing suspicious.

But they finally traced the source to the caller's bedside cabinet where her vibrator had gone off, sending a rapid thumping sound through her home in Durrington, Worthing.

Police searched the building site before going to the woman's home to say they could find no trace of the noise.

However, once inside they also heard the sound and traced it to the malfunctioning sex aid, which was tucked away in the bottom of a drawer.

The police officers suggested she get the item serviced and then left the embarrassed middle-aged woman's home.

Police have said it was not a malicious 999 call but a genuine mistake by the woman, who they are not naming.

A police spokesman said: "Obviously the police officers found it very hard to keep a straight face when they realised what was causing the noise.

"I believe that the woman was genuinely scared.

"Clearly we will not name the woman to save her from embarrassment but the story has been doing the rounds in the canteen.

"I think everybody felt a bit sorry for her because it's difficult to imagine anything more embarrassing. But it's all part of the service."