Lifeguards have issued a warning to teenagers who are risking injury by using a harbour's navigation beacon as a makeshift diving board.

Over the past few weeks youngsters have been jumping from the harbour arm on Hastings Old Town seafront.

The teenagers swim out to the wall before climbing more than 20ft up a ladder on to a flashing beacon used to warn boats.

They then jump into the sea despite the danger of hitting the seabed and suffering serious injury or death.

A spokesman for Hastings lifeguards said: "There have been a number of youngsters who have been doing this who perhaps do not realise the dangers.

"We have not got the power to physically stop people from jumping from the harbour arm. But our lifeguard foot patrol and the safety boat do regularly warn the jumpers they could be jumping into shallow water."