It was supposed to be a weekend of sunshine - but a blanket of mist put the dampers on seaside sunbathing in Sussex.

The sun failed to show before Sunday afternoon and Brighton and Hove's seafront office said it was a relatively quiet weekend until it finally appeared.

Brighton seafront trader Peter Avery said: "Everybody is upset - it was sunny on the way down to Brighton and it was misty when they got here."

But he said seafront trade began to pick up to bank holiday level yesterday afternoon.

It was a similar story in Bognor and Eastbourne - there were plenty of visitors but mist and wind scotched hopes of a bumper weekend.

Paul Aston, beach operations manager at Eastbourne, said: "It was certainly quiet from the swimming point of view but there were plenty of people on the beach."

Inland, temperatures soared as the sun shone and visitors packed attractions such as Wakehurst Place, Ardingly.

Seven Sisters County Park also reported a busy weekend, with walkers and cyclists tempted out by the easing of foot-and-mouth restrictions.

However, many footpaths and bridleways, including sections of the South Downs Way, remain closed.