Sussex sizzled then got soaked as the bank holiday went from boom to gloom in the space of 24 hours.

Traders and tourism workers reported their highest takings of the year on Sunday as sunshine and 19C temperatures brought crowds flocking to the coast.

In Brighton, sun-seekers packed the pebbles between the piers. But grey clouds rolled in yesterday and 9mm of rain fell by lunchtime, driving the hordes from their barbecues to the DIY stores.

Mist rolled in and by early afternoon cold winds and lashing rain left the seafront virtually deserted.

Sun cream was swapped for winter coats as visitors fled towards The Lanes and Churchill Square instead.

Paul Wossner, 28, general manger of The Beach bar, said: "It was mayhem on Sunday. We took more money than we've ever had in one day. It was a record."

At 2pm yesterday the staff, dressed in black bin liners, braved the rain to bring the wooden tables and chairs inside and shut up shop.

At the Brighton Kayak Company, bikinis and sun cream were the top sellers on Sunday while yesterday was a washout.

Manager Robert Leighton, 29, said: "We had a fantastic day on Sunday. It was the busiest of the year.

"People were buying bikinis, nearly all our kayaks were hired and we ran out of sun cream.

"Yesterday I'd have been more likely to sell wetsuits."

Terry O'Riordan, who runs Jaws fish bar, said: "On Sunday the queues didn't let up from 10am until 7pm.

"Yesterday there was hardly a soul on the beach."

Arun Patel, 25, general manager of The Fortune of War pub, said: "Generally on bank holiday weekends we get an influx of people and they definitely want to hit the beach.

"They're aware they've got a clear three days off so they're drinking like there's no tomorrow.

"On Sunday we were busy from about midday to closing at 11.30pm. Yesterday there was hardly anyone."

A few hardy people braved the cold and rain yesterday.

Kate DiAngelo, 25, a teaching assistant from Croydon, visited Brighton with her nephew and niece, Kieran, four, and Laine, two.

Despite the bad weather they had a picnic on the pebbles, wrapped up in blankets and winter coats.

Dave Steggle, 33, drove from Bromley with his seven-year-old son Luke, his 11-year-old daughter Hannah and his nephew and niece, Harry, seven, and Francesca, 13.

He said: "We knew it would be like this but it's better than sitting indoors.

"The kids are wrapped up warm and we'll walk down to the Palace Pier - we don't mind about the weather."