An investigation was under way today after a huge fire destroyed one building on a business park and damaged three others.

Flames shot 20ft into the night sky at the height of the fire at the Swann Business Centre in Station Road, Hailsham.

The alarm was raised at 10.20pm yesterday and 50 firefighters spent more than four hours bringing the fierce blaze under control.

It is feared the bill for the damage could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Police believe arsonists may have set fire to a van parked next to a unit occupied by bathroom fittings firm Decorlux. The flames then spread to the two-storey brick building.

Within minutes the timber-framed roof was ablaze and the fire quickly spread to neighbouring buildings.

The inside of the Decorlux building was wrecked and all its contents were soaked by fire crews attempting to douse the flames.

Buildings either side of it were fire damaged.

Inspector Mark Powells, of Sussex Police, said: "Police and fire brigade investigators are treating this as of doubtful origin at the moment."

A fire service spokesman said: "It's a devastating thing to happen for someone just before the New Year."

The industrial centre has more than a dozen units and is within 400 yards of the much larger Swann Industrial Estate, which has more than 60.