Sussex Police are investigating after a teenager fell 30ft from a car park.

An 18-year-old man received multiple fractures after plummeting to the ground from the Arndale Centre in Eastbourne town centre during the early hours of yesterday morning.

The police and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were called to the shopping centre in by ambulance staff who reported that a man was threatening to jump from an area of the car park.

Officers attended at 1.05am and spent about 40 minutes negotiating with the man.

But at 2.03am the teeneger, who is believed to be from Eastbourne, fell about 30ft to the ground.

He was conscious and received immediate medical treatment before being taken to Eastbourne District General Hospital with serious injuries.

A South East Coast Ambulance spokesman confirmed they had attended and that the man was taken to hospital with several fractures.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “The officers were trying to help the man, who has personal problems.”

He added that the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) had been informed because police officers were present when the man fell.

The referral was described as “standard” procedure.

An IPCC spokeswoman confirmed that the matter had been handed to them yesterday by Sussex Police.

She said: “Based on the information we have got at the moment we will be referring it back to Sussex Police which means we will not be carrying out an investigation into the incident.”