Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from the centre of Burgess Hill

following a security alert which forced shops to close for two hours.

Many businesses were left counting the cost when a power cut plunged shops into semi-darkness yesterday afternoon.

Most of the stores were unable to stay open because their electrically-powered tills would not work.

Today traders criticised Seeboard after suffering a blackout for the second time in just over a month.

About 40 firms and more than 600 homes lost power when a fault was triggered in an 11,000 volt cable.

The shops and houses lost power from 2.50pm to 4.10pm as engineers arranged for a temporary re-routed supply before engineers fix the fault today.

The areas hit included Church Walk shopping precinct, Crescent Road, St Peter's Road, Cyprus Road, Church Walk, Church Road, and the Martlets shopping area.

It was the second time in just over a month that some traders have been affected.

Paul Denyer, manager of the Co-op store in Church Walk, said: "It's another blunder.

"We have to ask customers to leave in these circumstances because without lighting and power we could have problems with health and safety issues.

"One of our staff decided to go home for an early lunch because we had no power, only to find he had none at home."

Gerald Russell, of Russell's greengrocers and flower shop, said it was the worst power cut he could remember in ten years in the town centre. He said: "Most of the shops closed."

Another trader said: "We lost quite a bit of business. I cannot believe this could have happened again."

A Seeboard spokesman said: "We apologise for any inconvenience. We have got a team looking at the fault today."

Just before Christmas another power failure happened when a workman cut a power cable at a site in Cyprus Road.

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