A suicidal teenager was talked out of killing himself by police after walking into the sea off the East Sussex coast.

The boy, aged between 13 and 15 and with special needs, threatened to walk further into the sea off Seaford.

Police requested coastguards and lifeboats to stand-by but eventually the child was talked into returning to land.

A Solent Coastguard spokeswoman said today: "He was in an extremely distressed state but was talked round in the end."

Meanwhile, a dog died after plunging more than 400ft over cliffs.

The pet raced over the edge at Birling Gap, near Eastbourne, just after 11am yesterday after possibly spotting a rabbit.