POLICE were today questioning a man in connection with the hit-and-run death of Sussex PC Jeff Tooley.

The suspect, in his forties and from the Hove area, was arrested after walking into a solicitor's office yesterday afternoon.

Police attended the office at 4.45pm and drove the man to the town's John Street station.

Just 30 minutes earlier, PC Tooley's mother collapsed to her knees with grief as she laid flowers at the spot where her 26-year-old son was hit.

Traffic was halted as she and ten other members of family crossed the busy Brighton Road in Shoreham for a pilgrimage to the pavement shrine between two lamp posts, now filled with bouquets and messages of sympathy.

Veronica Tooley, 50, who runs a care home agency, was consoled by her ex-husband Barry and their 23-year-old son Russ.

Their third son, 16-year-old Christopher, an A-level student at Felpham Community College, near Bognor, sat on the pavement, his hands clasped as if in prayer, and wept.

PC Tooley's 51-year-old father, general manager of a fire and security firm near Detroit, Michigan in America, said: "Whoever was responsible for our son's death cannot begin to imagine the devastation it has caused me and my family."

Mr Tooley visits Britain regularly to see his family and Jeff often flew out to him on trips.

Mr Tooley said: "Jeff was coming out again to me in three weeks. He enjoyed his trips and met local police officers - they couldn't understand how he could do his job here in England without carrying a gun.

"But Jeff loved his work with Sussex Police. It was a job that ran in the family.

"His grandfather's brother Harry Tooley served in the force at Shoreham and his great grandfather was an officer in Worthing.

"This has hurt us all so much."

Mr Tooley said no plans have been finalised for his son's funeral but it will probably be held at Chichester Cathedral.

Police are still appealing for anyone with information about the crash to contact the incident room on 01273 440055.

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