A man was fighting for life after a horrific road crash which left one person dead and five others injured.

Emergency services called to the smash found debris from the mangled wreckage strewn across the road.

The accident happened when a Rover, a white van and a Mercedes estate car were in a collision on the busy A24 Warren Road in Worthing.

One car was crushed by the force of the collision. The front ends of the other vehicles were smashed in.

A couple from Lewes, who were in the Mercedes, escaped with minor injuries.

Firefighters cut the driver of the van free under the supervision of ambulance staff but his injuries were not serious.

A woman from Eastbourne and a man from Reading, who were passengers in the Rover, managed to clamber out of the wreckage but the driver, a 20-year-old man from Kent, died at the scene.

Another passenger in the Rover, a man from Reading, was fighting for his life with serious head and facial injuries.

He was initially taken to Worthing Hospital with the other casualties but was later transferred to a London hospital for specialist treatment. He was in a critical condition yesterday.

A man in his 20s from Hailsham was arrested in connection with the accident.

He has been bailed pending further inquiries.

Five ambulances and three fire crews were called to the smash just after 5am.

Inspector Mark Armstrong, of Sussex Police, said: "Officers from Chichester's road policing department are investigating the incident and would appeal for any witnesses to come forward.

"We are particularly interested in hearing from anybody who saw a white Mercedes Sprinter van which was travelling east on the A27 between Chichester and Worthing between 4.20am and 5am on Saturday."

Police closed the road in both directions between Grove Lodge roundabout and Offington Corner for most of the morning.

Motorists faced long delays on the A27 as traffic backed up. The jams were worsened by the thousands of extra motorists who were trying to reach the Goodwood Revival motor racing event near Chichester.

Anyone with information about the accident should contact police on 0845 6070999 and quote Operation Acacia.