RACIST abuse of England footballers has been condemned by well-known figures from across Sussex.

Stars of the national team have received torrents of vile abuse after the team lost the Euro 2020 final on penalties.

Marcus Rashford, 25, Jadon Sancho, 21, and Bukayo Saka, 19, failed to score their penalties and were targetted after the game.

Public figures in Sussex have condemned the "horrific" actions of people on social media.

Writing on Twitter, TV presenter Piers Morgan said: "When England's players took the knee last night, I was pleased to hear loud applause drown out a few boos.

"Then our black stars get horrifically racially abused after the game. This is why they take the knee.

"This is why I support them in taking the knee."

Crawley-born sports pundit Dan Walker labelled the "small group" of people who have sent abuse as "fooligans".

He said: "If Euro 2020 has got you into football, it's disappointingly familiar to be mortified by the behaviour of a small number of fooligans.

"It's also normal to not allow the bruises of the past to crush your dreams that... one day... it could happen.

"Win together. Lose together."

While Brighton and Hove Albion, posted on Twitter to say: "We're with you Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.

"Any form of abuse is unacceptable."

Tony Shepherd, a broadcaster who lives in Brighton, was not surprised to see the abuse that followed the match.

He said: "I'd like to say I'm surprised by the behaviour of some of those "fans" after the game, but quite frankly, I'm not.

"Disgusting. It gives all of us a bad name, and let's hope they face the consequences.

"What do you remember about 1966 Grandad? Well, I remember the great sportsmanship and camaraderie amongst the players and fans and the great sense of national pride.

"What about 2021? Well, there were those racist pigs and that bloke who stuck a flare up his a***."

Rashford and Sancho were substituted onto the pitch for the sole purpose of taking a penalty, while Saka's spot-kick was the first of his professional career.

After the match, Rashford wrote in a tweet that he had been sent at least 70 messages containing abuse.

The 23-year-old, who plays for Manchester United, had a mural painted of him celebrating the MBE that he was awarded for services to vulnerable children.

This mural was defaced with graffiti and abusive statements.