Three men have been charged over the alleged disappearance of nearly £1 million from client accounts at a firm of solicitors.

The Sussex Police major fraud unit have been probing events that led to the closure of CK Solicitors in Selsey, West Sussex,  by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority since 2012.

The investigation has centred on the alleged disappearance of some £900,000 which is alleged to have been taken from client accounts at the now-defunct firm.

Simon Kenny, 57, of Old Hunt Stables, Catsfield, near Battle, East Sussex, Emma Coates, 44, of West Street, Selsey, and Stephen Hiseman, 57, of Morzine, France, have been charged.

Sussex Police said Kenny and Coates are charged together with false accounting between July 4, 2006 and January 15, 2007.

In addition, the pair are also charged with fraud by abuse of position between January 15, 2007 and May 31, 2011, a police spokesman said.

Kenny and Coates are also charged along with Hiseman with fraud by abuse of position between January 1, 2008 and March 15, 2011.

All three are due to appear on bail at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on April 23.