A teenager was left fighting for his life after plunging 70ft from the roof of a townhouse.

The 19-year-old fell five storeys from Marine House in Broad Street, Kemp Town, Brighton, at about 2.20pm yesterday.

He was discovered lying in a garden in the back of the property and was whisked to hospital with life-threatening head injuries.

He remained in hospital last night as The Argus went to press.

Sussex Police CID officers and South East Coast Ambulance paramedics were called to the scene after he fell from the highest storey of the block of flats in an apparent accident.

Yesterday the front door to the building had been smashed in.

After the incident two of the teenager’s friends, a young man and woman, sat distraught on the steps of Marine House.

The man, who was crying, said he was too traumatised to talk about the incident.

Other people were drinking on balconies at the front of Marine House, which faces Brighton Wheel.

A stretcher was placed in Marine Parade at 2.30pm.

Meanwhile, police guarded the scene of the incident which was blocked with a South East Coast Ambulance vehicle and police tape.

At the time of the incident the area was very busy with day-trippers, pub-goers and drinkers.

A member of staff from the nearby A Bar said: “We heard that the man had fallen. Suddenly police and ambulance arrived.”

Another man added: “A man fell from the roof. It is really high up and very shocking.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said:“Police were called to assist ambulance colleagues on the corner of Marine Parade and Broad Street at 2.23pm on Sunday after the 19-year-old man was reported to be lying seriously injured in a garden at the back of the property.

“Brighton CID officers were called to the scene, but it is not thought that the incident is suspicious.”