A senior fire officer has denied there was inadequate lighting at the scene of a crash where a crew member plunged 40ft over a barrier.

Former firefighter Sarah Cotton, 35, from Worthing, was seriously injured in the fall, which ended her career, after she climbed over a crash barrier on Shoreham flyover one night in December 1997.

She is claiming compensation at Brighton County Court from her former employers, West Sussex County Council, the National Blood Service, whose lorry had crashed into the barrier, and the Department of the Environment, which is responsible for the road.

All three parties are fighting her claim.

Raymond Jackson, who was the station commander at Shoreham at the time of the accident and in charge of the rescue operation, told the court: "At the time the lighting was adequate for the jobs we were doing."

Mr Jackson, who is now an Assistant Divisional Officer for West Sussex, was giving evidence on the third day of the hearing.

He denied insufficient priority had been given to erect flood lighting at the scene and said that, even without the extra lighting, it was quite apparent there was a gap on the other side of the barrier over which Miss Cotton fell and he believed all the firefighters at the scene were aware of it.

Mr Jackson said he did not expect any of the firefighters to climb over the barrier.

He said: "The barriers are there as a form of defence. The barrier defines a hazard. Knowing that and knowing my training, it would have been highly inadvisable to climb over the barrier."

Miss Cotton previously told the court how she was trying to help rescue lorry's passenger, who was trapped by her ankles, just before the accident happened.

She decided to climb over the barrier to reach the other side of the vehicle as quickly as possible.

She believed there was a road on the other side of the barrier, which stood between the junction of the slip road and the flyover.

In the darkness, she was unaware there was only a gap and a drop to the ground 40ft below.

She denied she vaulted over the barrier without checking what was on the other side.

Miss Cotton suffered severe back, leg and pelvis injuries.

She tried to return to her job but was forced to quit in May 1999 because the lasting effects from her injuries made it impossible for her to continue working as a firefighter.

The hearing continues.