Shoppers in a busy street were shocked to see a man walking round naked.

Several passers-by called Sussex Police after spotting the man, believed to be in his 30s, wandering through George Street, Hove, and into nearby Church Road.

The first calls were made at about 1.30pm yesterday and officers traced the man on security cameras before catching up with him near a Church Road coffee shop where he was arrested under the Mental Health Act.

A police spokeswoman said: "He seemed a bit confused. We got his name but we are still trying to establish where he is from. We got calls from quite a few people.

"One member of the public gave him a blanket.

"He said he was from Mill View Hospital, the local mental illness hospital, but we checked and he does not seem to be an in-patient."

Chris Clarke, owner of travel shop Go Work And Travel in Church Road, said: "I was looking out of the window and there was a man exposing himself to the Woolwich Building Society opposite. He was completely naked and around 30 to 35 years old.

"The police came and talked to him for a few minutes but he was just staring through the building window. Then they took him away in the police car. A lot happens around here but we have have never seen that before.

"Members of the public just had a quick glance and kept walking."