The two Sussex road tragedies which came closest to the devastation of Sunday's horrific crash happened just a few miles away.

Before the latest accident on the A23 near Pyecombe, the worst crash on a Sussex road killed seven people on October 26, 1968.

A Ford Zephyr and a Ford Anglia collided on the A23 at Sayers Common. The victims that day included a ten-year-old girl.

Five people from Brighton, Hurstpierpoint and Seaford in the Zephyr were killed. They had been out celebrating the driver's 21st birthday.

The girl was travelling in the Anglia, along with a German-born man who had moved to Saltdean and also died.

Inspector Richard Harman was one of the police officers called to deal with the accident and he was on duty again when six people died just 400yds away, 22 years later.

A Maestro driven by Crawley student Ashok Mazumdar veered into an oncoming Cortina in the northbound lane of the A23 near Hickstead on November 17, 1990.

Mr Mazumdar, 18, and his passengers Graham Hargreaves, 18, and Bryan Dyan, 16, all from Crawley, died.

A fourth friend, 16-year-old Christopher Cain, suffered three broken ribs, damaged lungs and broken legs.

Cortina driver Dennis Rosine, 41, also died, together with passengers Janice Griffiths, 43, and Valerie Layzell, 39. All were from Brighton.