Specially trained police officers and a chaplain spent 17-hours trying to talk down a man from a notorious suicide spot.

The 37-year-old paced along Sugar Loaf cliffs at Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, as officers offered support.

Residents living in houses overlooking the cliffs reported seeing the man pace up and down on one of the ledges.

The man, who was just inches from a 100ft drop, also hid in cliff top hedges while the emergency services maintained their presence throughout Tuesday night and yesterday morning.

But despite the surveillance, the man, who had reportedly told officers he wanted to jump, went missing at midday, triggering a two hours police and coastguard search.

A man was later arrested on suspicion of committing criminal damage.