A man who began bleeding severely after he was arrested was not injured because of his contact with officers, Sussex Police has said.

The police added they should be praised for their actions following the incident on Thursday, February 20.

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), agreed the force’s Professional Standards Department (PSD) could investigate the incident after the man started bleeding heavily from the groin after being taken to Hastings police station’s cells to be questioned on suspicion of attempted burglary at 6am on Thursday, February 20.

He was arrested after he was seen in the gardens of homes in Grange Road, Hastings.

Officers gave him first aid while they waited for paramedics to take him to hospital.

He has since been released from hospital and is currently on bail until April 4.

A Sussex Police statement said: “The Independent Police Complaints Commission was notified of the incident and it decided an investigation should be run by Sussex Police's professional standards department.

“That investigation has now decided that not only did officers not cause the man's injuries but they may have saved his life through their prompt action at the police station.”

Detective Inspector Nick Wainwright, of the professional standards department, said: "Their quick-thinking helped reduce the amount of blood the man was losing until he could be taken back to hospital for treatment.

"Their decisiveness may have saved his life."

The man, of no fixed address, had been originally arrested at 9.30am on Tuesday, February 18 after he was seen in the gardens of homes in Grange Road, Hastings.

Officers were made aware that the man had a previous medical condition so the 42-year-old was taken to hospital to be assessed by medical staff.

Shortly before 6am on Thursday, February 20 he was assessed by staff at Conquest Hospital in St Leonards as being fit for release and he was taken to Hastings police station where he began bleeding and was helped by officers.