Firefighters and Coastguards are battling a blaze which broke out on a car transporter off the coast of Eastbourne today.

The Oriental Highway was transporting a cargo of cars through the Channel from Kent when it reported a fire on board to the Dover Coastguard shortly before 10.30 this morning.

A fire crew from East Sussex Fire Brigade's maritime unit at Newhaven was being airlifted to the scene.

The vessel is 15 miles off the coast and has 21 people on board.

Lifeboats from the Eastbourne and Hastings have gone to the scene with a tug from the Dover Coastguard station and a helicopter from the Lee-on-Solent Coastguard station in Hampshire.