A YOUNG man claiming to be one of three youths posing for photos on a building is “honoured” by appearing in The Argus.

They were seen on top of the Barnardo’s charity building in West Street, Brighton, on Saturday afternoon, leaving onlookers stunned.

People in the cafe at the Waterstones book store opposite were terrified as they watched the people posing on the edge of the roof while taking snaps of each other.

Now one of them has approached us to say how proud he felt to be our most popular story online yesterday.

Messaging The Argus Facebook account under the name Joshua Loddo, whose social media profile displays pictures of someone looking strikingly similar to the blonde youth in the photographs we printed.

He initially said: “Saw that article about those guys on the rooftops. Want some more information?”

Four minutes later, the person goes on to seemingly boast about our story in yesterday’s paper.

He said: “Just seen that’s it the most popular story this morning. I feel honoured.”

He also put a kiss-blowing emoji at the end.

Eyewitness Graham Ennis said it looked like the youths found it funny when one of them slipped on the roof.

Mr Ennis was worried they could fall and kill themselves, or seriously injure a pedestrian walking on the pavement below.

Nobody walking in a packed West Street was aware of what was going on around 50ft above them.

Astonished and worried, he called 999, though officers never turned up.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said the youths could not be seen on CCTV cameras in West Street after receiving the first call at 4.20pm.

She said: “Operators viewed the cameras and the men couldn’t been seen on the roof.

“Police received a second call from the same caller at 4.30pm and CCTV cameras were checked again and the men again couldn’t been seen on the roof.”

Chief Inspector David Robinson said: “We would always encourage people to call us if they see someone on a roof as they may be trying to harm themselves or if these men had been intent on harming the public below.

“However, from the pictures printed, these men were posing for pictures.

“Although dangerous and not something we would encourage or condone, and unless damage is caused, is not a criminal offence but may be a civil trespass.”