Homes and businesses were left without power after builders cut through an electricity cable.

Traders and residents in the West Quay area of Newhaven were left without electricity for several hours during the power cut yesterday, which was thought to have been caused by contractors working on a nearby development project.

A spokesman for electricity supplier Seeboard confirmed power supplies to about 60 residential and business customers were interrupted when workmen damaged a low voltage underground cable.

Mary Brownlow, who runs The Ark pub, at West Quay, said: "The electricity just went off and all of us rushed around checking our fuse boxes before we realised what had happened.

"There is some redevelopment work going on near here and apparently one of the workmen has accidentally gone through a cable."

The lack of power meant Ms Brownlow had to close down the pub kitchens and stop serving food to customers.

She said: "It is such a lovely day people want to come here and sit on the patio to eat but we are having to turn them away."

Kerry Bickerstaff, of the Bickerstaff fish market, said: "We cannot use our scales because they need electricity and we cannot serve any customers because we have no chiller."

Other people affected included doctors and patients at the Chapel Street Surgery and residents of Fort Road.