Emergency services were called when a man climbed a 90ft crane and sat dangling his feet.
Firefighters, police and ambulance crews watched below as the man refused to budge for more than an hour last night.
Traffic round the Clock Tower in Brighton was diverted and at one stage firefighters brought in an aerial ladder to reach the man above redevelopment at the Quadrant.
Friends finally arrived at the scene and spoke to the man on mobile phones.
They and police persuaded him to climb down and he surrendered to police. He was detained under the Mental Health Act.
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