A taxi driver was held up at knifepoint in a new year robbery.

The raid was just one incident in a night of disorder across Sussex as police dealt with a ten per cent rise in calls during last night's celebrations.

Sussex Police logged more than 1,000 calls between midnight and 8am today mostly to deal with assaults and accidents.

In Hastings a man was taken to hospital suffering from loss of blood after an attack in Robertson Street at about 2am.

One man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and was today being questioned by police over the assault.

In Crawley at about 1.30am a taxi driver called the police after he had a knife held to his neck by robbers who demanded cash.

The crime happened outside Bewbush Leisure Centre in Breezehurst Drive.

Firefighters also reported a hectic night.

Crews from across West Sussex were called to a blaze at a group of workshops.

Neighbours were evacuated and a road closed during the operation in Lavant, near Chichester.

Two car accidents happened in Eastbourne and a dog died in a fire in Crawley Down.

As fireworks lit up the skies over Brighton, police said most of their calls were related to drunken revellers fighting in the streets.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "It was incredibly busy.

"It always is on new year's eve but we had about ten per cent more calls than usual.

"Fortunately there was nothing deadly serious.

"There was a car accident in Eastbourne where a pedestrian was knocked down with serious but not life-threatening injuries, then there was a separate car accident a little later.

"Then there were the usual assaults but just more of them.

"We took about 80 calls more than last year.

"Not all of them were genuine, which obviously we could do without."

Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at workshops in Chilgrove Road, Lavant, at 11.40am yesterday.

No-one was injured in the fire.

Two fire engines were called to a house fire in Sunnymead, Crawley Down, in which a dog was killed.

The first floor of the building was filled with smoke.

The owners of building were not at home at the time.

A specialist fire investigation officer and police were at the scene today to try to establish whether the fire was an accident or arson.

Police said complaints about fireworks and loud music were being passed onto environmental health officers, while coastguards said flares were also being let off, confusing lifeboat crews.