Shoreham - live: Coastguard choppers scrambled to major emergency in West Sussex

A major incident unfolded in Shoreham this afternoon following reports of four people in difficulty in the water.

Coastguard helicopters, ambulances and police were scrambled to the coastal town in West Sussex.

The RNLI said lifeboat crews were launched from Shoreham at about 2.50pm on Tuesday afternoon. Two other lifeboats were also launched from the Brighton lifeboat station shortly after 3pm.

South East Coast Ambulance Service said it was called to "reports of four people in need of medical attention after getting into difficulty in the water near Shoreham Harbour".

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said an ambulance was seen leaving under a police escort with its blue lights flashing.

It follows a major emergency response after four people got into difficulty in the water.

Sussex Police issued a statement saying emergency services were responding to reports of "four people in difficulty" - but it hasn't gone into further details about what happened.

The statement read: "Emergency services are currently responding to reports of four people in difficulty in the water close to Shoreham Fort.

"A section of the A259 in Shoreham has been closed as the incident remains ongoing, and we’re urging the public to stay clear of the area in the meantime. We will provide more information as soon as we are able to."

Shelley Ayres, who lives opposite the beach, said: "We have never known this. I'm just hoping it's nothing tragic.

"The sea has been very calm for months and months, but today it has got a lot rougher."

Many emergency service vehicles have left the scene but the A259 remains closed by the incident.

An AA alert states: "Road blocked and slow traffic due to emergency services incident on A259 Brighton Road both ways from New Road to Kingston Lane."

A resident has described seeing a massive emergency response on a beach which they claimed was "safe".