Two lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter have been searching near Palace Pier following reports of a person in the water.

A Shoreham RNLI lifeboat was launched at around 5.35pm on Wednesday, October 12, and was spotted near the pier in Brighton.

A number of Coastguard and Search and Rescue vehicles were also parked outside the pier.

The boat, which was joined by a Coastguard helicopter and a second lifeboat, was looking for someone who had supposedly fallen into the water from the pier.

Coastguards at the scene said that the incident had since been deemed a "false alarm", but a spokeswoman for Shoreham RNLI later said that "our all weather lifeboat is still searching".