There was no escape for one attacker as police applied the full force of one of their most effective weapons.

Seconds after lashing out at officers and spraying them with their own CS gas, he found himself flat on his face with his arms and legs tightly bound.

Sussex Police used a device called Vipers - Violent Person Emergency Restraint System - to render the man helpless as he writhed on the floor.

The equipment, designed by Crawley company Niton, features two sets of straps.

A black strap wraps around the elbows, a red one around the ankles.

People captured by the system can no longer lash out, though they can still walk if the straps are properly adjusted.

Sussex Police introduced Vipers in September 2000 after a three-month trial the previous year.

A review of the first six months found there were no complaints.

A 2002 report by the Police Complaints Authority found the device had "the potential to reduce serious injuries".

The man was arrested after a scuffle outside a hostel in Byron Road, Worthing, at 5pm on Sunday.

Police had been called to deal with an aggressive man who was asked to leave the hostel.

He was detained along with a second man who lashed out at a female officer. She was treated at Worthing Hospital for bruising and the effects of CS spray.

A police spokeswoman said: "Vipers is a legal force police can use to restrain someone who is struggling. It has become quite common and is safe."