A student got locked in an alleyway for four hours after sneaking in to go to the toilet.

The woman told firefighters from Brighton’s Preston Circus station that she was “visiting a friend” but they said they did not believe her and suspected she had gone to spend a penny.

But the gate behind her shut and automatically locked.

She told the firefighters she had been there for four hours – until 7am – but did not want to disturb them.

Her friend was waiting outside the alleyway near Brighton’s seafront, which connects to a block of flats.

A firefighter said: “She said she didn’t want to disturb us but had been there for ages.

“It was apparently locked because people had been using it as a toilet.

“As we were there someone actually came out and opened the gate.

“The girl was quite upset – she had mascara all down her face.”