THE end of a pier crashed into the sea and dozens of homes were flooded as storms brought chaos to Sussex yesterday.

Police sealed off Bognor pier yesterday afternoon after up to 60ft of the structure was washed away.

Sussex Police spokesman Sgt Howard Hodges said the end of the pier was permanently shut because it was in a run-down condition and nobody had been injured in the collapse.

Police evacuated a snooker hall and amusement arcade on the shore end of the pier.

Safety

A health and safety officer from Arun District Council will inspect the privately-owned pier tomorrow morning.

Sgt Hodges said: "There were staff and members of the public on the main body of the pier but there have been no reports of any injuries."

Severe gale warnings were in place across the South Coast after Force Eight winds hit.

Seafront traders have been left with a huge clean-up bill after premises were flooded.

Fierce winds drove the water over Brighton beach and into a seafront amusement arcade, two cafes and an ice cream kiosk.

The water smashed through metal shutters and shifted tonnes of shingle east of the Palace Pier at around 10.30am yesterday.

One owner, Ray Walters, 72, was so overcome with shock he collapsed and was taken to hospital.

Ian Wells, 31, who runs The Beach Cafe, said: "We shut the doors and as we were going out it hit the shutters and they totally caved in.

"We had to run out round the back and it's just lucky there were no customers in. It will costs thousands and thousands to repair the damage and the insurance companies won't insure properties so close to the sea.

"Ray Walters was in his shop next door with the shutters down and wouldn't leave. I had to grab his arm and pull him out."

Mr Walters, of Croft Road, Brighton, was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where a spokesman said he was in a "stable" condition.

West Sands caravan park at Selsey was evacuated after floods left it under 18 inches of water. Six homes in Normans Bay were evacuated and many more flooded.

Another 23 properties in nearby Pevensey, on its coast road, had been undermined and were in danger of flooding.

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