Victims of the two tornadoes in West Sussex are being warned not to fall prey to cowboy builders.

West Sussex Trading Standards has set up a special hotline to offer advice to people whose homes have been damaged in the storms in Bognor Regis and Selsey.

Officers will be available to speak to residents and keep an eye on builders entering the area.

After the tornado in Selsey two years ago, the town was flooded with unscrupulous builders who carried out shoddy work and then disappeared.

Trading standards officers are worried residents under pressure to repair their homes quickly will turn to cowboy builders.

Head of trading standards, Patrick Bligh-Cheesman fears that people facing major repairs are in a particularly vulnerable position and could be tempted by unscrupulous builders.

Mr Bligh-Cheesman said: "I do not want to see a repeat of the problems experienced in Selsey two years ago, when the town was beset with dodgy builders following damage caused by the tornado."

Residents are being advised to check carefully builders' details, ask for references and a written quotation with names and addresses and to use a builder who belongs to a trade association.

Contact the trading standards hotline on 01903 228700.