Hundreds of fish were saved yesterday as drought threatened to dry up their pond in Falmer, near Brighton.

Residents of Falmer, Brighton, were worried ducks and fish were suffering after weeks of little rain.

They called the fire brigade for help and a crew from Brighton yesterday spent all day hosing hundreds of gallons into the pond.

By last night water levels were back to normal.

Falmer Parish Council chairman Eric Huxham, who lives by the pond, said: "The pond levels are dropping seriously.

"What is it going to be like in summer, if it's like this in April?"

John Woodruff, landlord of the Swan Inn, said: "It's a pond that suffers from too many fish and it's very shallow."

A brigade spokesman said: "We were happy to help."