The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating an incident in which a pedestrian died after being involved in a crash.

Sussex Police received a call at about 5.45pm on Good Friday with a report of a man in a ”drunken state” who was walking in Lyminster Road, Wick, Littlehampton.

He had been seen stumbling into a fence.

However the incident was downgraded from an emergency to taking “prompt” action because officers were already committed to dealing with other incidents in the area.

At around 7.15pm emergency services were called to a report of the man lying in the carriageway after being involved in a collision with a vehicle near the Six Bells pub.

The man, believed to be in his 50s or 60s, sustained serious injuries and died before reaching hospital.

A Kia Picanto being driven south by a 75-year-old man from Littlehampton, stopped at the scene.   

The road was closed from the Crossbush roundabout to the Wick roundabout for several hours while emergency services, including air ambulance paramedics, were at the scene.

A police spokesman said: “Sadly officers were unable to reach the scene before the collision occurred.

“As a result of this the incident is being referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission for its assessment.”

Police are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to email collision.appeal@sussex.pnn.police.uk or phone 101, quoting Operation Greenleaf.