Shoppers scrambled to fill their pockets as thousands of pounds were flung from a car roaring through Brighton and Hove city centre.

The £10 notes rained down after being hurled from the passenger window.

But the windfall had a sting - the money is forged and police today warned small traders to be extra-careful when accepting cash.

Unemployed Derek Turpin, 40, from Kemp Town, thought he had hit the jackpot when he saw the cloud of cash flutter into the air.

He was outside the Pressure Point in Richmond Place when the car sped past in a flurry of banknotes at 3pm yesterday.

He said: "I thought, 'That's my rent paid'.

"It would have been useful but I knew straight away I would hand it in to the police."

Mr Turpin was among the few who lingered long enough to inform officers of the fake fortune.

He said: "It happened so fast I didn't see what kind of car it was.

"The money came flying out and then the car slowed down as if it was about to stop but then drove off really fast.

"That made me suspicious. I thought they could have robbed a bank."

He thought the money had been dropped by accident by the passenger.

He said: "Everybody thought it was Christmas. The money was gone in seconds and everybody had legged it. It was like a scrum - it was mental.

"There must have been more than a grand there because there were bundles of notes together - some £100 or more."

Mohammed Msabu, 23, was meeting a friend at the pub when the notes appeared from nowhere.

He said: "I had my back to the road so I didn't see the car and suddenly there was all this money everywhere.

"I got some of it but straight away someone said it wasn't real. Lots of people had already run off with it.

"I wish it was real because I had nearly £100."

A member of staff at the Pressure Point said: "Our cocktails must be so amazing that people are throwing money at us."

Police asked for witnesses to come forward, particularly those with a description of the car. They also want people to hand in any false notes they have collected.

Call PC John Curran on 0845 6070999.