Walls collapsed and a shopping parade was shut down as heavy seas and stormy weather battered Worthing.

High winds took their toll as a garage roof was blown off and walls crumbled.

Shops were closed after brickwork was blown off a building.

Shops in Goring Road were emptied and the area was cordoned off while firefighters made the structure safe.

Council building control manager Tony Downes said: "An area of brickwork at the front of one of the shops collapsed on to the pavement.

"Fortunately there was no one below when it fell. If there had been, they would have been seriously injured as it was quite a big lump of brick."

Today building control inspectors and structural engineers from Worthing Council were on site trying to make it safe.

Part of the parade of shops remained closed to the public while scaffolding was put up.

Mr Downes said: "Our priority was to protect the public. The area in front of the shop will remain shut until any loose brickwork is checked for stability.

"We will be contacting the owner to recover the costs of the work."

Firefighter Stephen Aylmore, who climbed on to the roof, said: "It was ever so windy but I managed to check all the stonework and remove any loose pieces."