Two people died in a night of tragedy on roads in East Sussex.

The accidents were less than five hours apart and both caused traffic chaos.

The first happened shortly before 5pm on the busy A21 at Robertsbridge.

A Vauxhall Astra was involved in a collision with a Ford Mondeo.

The driver of the Astra, a 62-year-old man from Battle, died at the scene of the crash.

The Mondeo driver, a 55-year-old man, and four passengers, two men aged 69 and 78, a 76-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl, all from Gillingham, Kent, needed hospital treatment for minor injuries.

Diversions were set up and the road was closed for three hours while wreckage was cleared and ambulances ferried the injured to hospital.

Police had just finished dealing with that crash when, at 8.30pm, another fatal accident occurred.

A man from Brighton died when his sports car was involved in a head-on crash on the A27 at Selmeston, a narrow stretch of country road near Polegate.

It is often a spot where tailbacks are caused as there are few places to overtake safely at rush hour.

The Mazda MX5 driven by the man who died was in collision with a Royal Mail lorry just west of the village.

Firefighters and paramedics went to the scene but they were unable to save the 56-year-old driver, who lived at Saltdean.

The lorry driver, 58, was injured and the road was closed for more than three hours while the wreckage was cleared.

Both accidents happened in good weather conditions.

The coroner has been informed about both deaths and inquests will be held into the accidents at a date to be arranged.

Witnesses are being asked to contact Acting Sgt Carl Chiverrell, of Polegate traffic police on 0845 6070999.

Witnesses to the Robertsbridge crash should contact Bexhill traffic police on the same number.