Firefighters have now left a chemical leak in a public car park.

Fire crews were called to the spill in The Lanes Car Park in Black Lion Street, Brighton, at just after 9.15am this morning.

The substance was initially thought to be chlorine but was later discovered to be heavily-diluted sodium hydroxide, more commonly known as caustic soda, in the car park beneath the Thistle Hotel.

Fire crews left the scene at 10am after clearing up the spill.