It was a night that nobody will forget for as long as they live.

People from all over Sussex played their own magical part in the party of the century.

And what a party it was!

More than 50,000 revellers descended on the Old Steine, Brighton, for a thrilling night to mark the dawn of a new year, new century and new millennium.

There was music, street theatre and fireworks to entertain the vast multitudes who assembled for the Year 2000.

Police leave had been cancelled for the night, but there was hardly a hint of trouble as revellers let their hair down for the once-in-a-lifetime fun-filled family extravaganza.

Elsewhere in Sussex, between 7,000 and 10,000 people packed Worthing seafront to watch the lighting of a beacon and a magnificent fireworks display.

In Eastbourne, hundreds of children took part in a parade from the seafront bandstand to the nearby Wish Tower slopes, where the Mayor, Beryl Healy, lit a beacon.

At the South of England Showground, Ardingly, revellers frolicked in a fountain, while in Cuckfield villagers holding lanterns, torches and candles gathered at the parish church.

Police, who had spent nearly two years planning for the millennium

celebrations, were de-ighted at the behaviour and good humour of the crowds.

There were just 47 arrests made across Sussex, compared with 65 last year.

In Brighton, there were only nine people arrested at the Old Steine for minor public order offences and drunkenness.

Organiser Dave Reeves said: "I just think everyone had made the decision to party and that is all they did."

St John Ambulance and the Red Cross had 84 volunteers and six ambulances on duty. Just 12 people were treated at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, mostly for drink-related injuries.

The night was blessed with unseasonally warm temperatures, four degrees up on normal.

At midnight, the skies across Sussex erupted into a frenzy of noise and colour as thousands for fireworks were let off.

Brighton inshore lifeboat became the first in the country to be called out - just three seconds after midnight following reports of a distress flare off Brighton Marina. It was a false alarm.

l Don't miss our millennium celebrations picture special in tomorrow's Argus.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.