When a driver damaged a wall in an apparent hit and run crash, its owners thought the crime would be no problem to solve.

The vehicle's number plate was left next to the damage at the Lighthouse Car Centre, Brighton Road, Shoreham.

But when the owners of the family business tried to report it to the police, they came up against a metaphoric brick wall.

Father-and-son team Fred and John Burgess went to Shoreham police station to register the incident.

They joined a line of people queuing up yesterday morning at 10.15am, 15 minutes after the police station was due to open.

John said: "I rang the police and they said I had to go along to Shoreham police station.

"While we were waiting, a police community support officer came and put a notice on the board saying the police station would be open shortly."

Fred said: "There were four people waiting other than us.

"It was bizarre."

Fred said last September the car centre reported a series of stereo thefts to the police, offering them a number plate and three CCTV pictures of the thief but the culprit was never charged.

He said: "It isn't the ordinary bobbies. It is the system.

"No wonder the crime figures are down - if they don't open, there are four more people who haven't reported a crime."

The pair returned to the police station later in the day to report the incident.

Inspector Howard Hodges said the station had been closed for two hours because of staff sickness. It opened at noon. The normal opening hours are 10am-8pm.

Insp Hodges said: "I apologise for any inconvenience caused to any members of the public. It was unexpected."

He encouraged the Burgess family to contact the police again if they had any information relating to an unsolved crime.