Local News

Young people could be driven away from Adur, Arun and Worthing by high housing costs and a lack of career opportunities, according to a new economic strategy.

Liberal Democrat analysis of Home Office figures suggests just 5.49% of burglaries recorded in Sussex during 2025 resulted in someone being charged or summonsed. Chichester MP Jess Brown-Fuller is calling for tougher guarantees for victims.

A woman charged with drug offences has been found not guilty at Lewes Crown Court.

Props used in the new film Pressure, starring Andrew Scott and Brendan Fraser, have gone on display at The D-Day Story in Portsmouth ahead of the film’s cinema release on 9 September.

The Sussex Reptile Rescue Centre is searching for land, a building or other long-term premises in West Sussex as it looks to expand its rescue, rehabilitation and education work.

The Museum of Island History and Newport Roman Villa will both offer free entry on special dates this September as part of Heritage Open Days, giving residents and visitors the chance to explore more of the Isle of Wight’s past.

Horsham Matters is reminding families that financial and practical support is available as the cost of uniforms, shoes, sportswear and stationery adds pressure to household budgets at the start of the new school year.

Researchers at University Hospitals Sussex have helped demonstrate how virtual reality could support people living with advanced cancer, after a study found patients reported lower pain levels and improved wellbeing while using immersive digital experiences.

More time will be allowed for temporary memorials, shrines and tributes after a proposed two-week limit looks like being relaxed following criticism.

An abuser who choked a woman and assaulted her by the hair has been jailed.

An 83-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering his nephew following a two-week trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Chichester District Council is to pay £99,000 in costs after its decision to refuse a planning application was overturned on appeal.

A 20-year-old man is due to appear in court charged with a series of offences following reports of assaults on members of the public in Eastbourne.

A Gosport resident has reported seeing a mysterious illuminated object moving through the night sky in the early hours of the morning on the 13th of August.

More than 200 dead birds have been removed from Rye Harbour Nature Reserve as efforts continue to tackle a suspected outbreak of avian botulism.

All bus journeys will be free every weekend in September for everyone in Portsmouth.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a serious collision in Southsea left a pedestrian with life-threatening injuries.

People across Sussex are being asked how safe they feel and what they want from policing in the future as part of a new public survey.

Specialist ambulance crews have been practising their response to chemical emergencies during a major training exercise in West Sussex.

32 women working in sport from around the world have gathered at the University of Chichester for the 2026 Women’s Sport Leadership Academy.

Portsmouth Football Club has announced the death of club legend Alan Knight at the age of 65.

Train services have resumed between Haywards Heath and Lewes this morning, nearly three weeks after a passenger train derailed north of Lewes station.

An Eastbourne pastor who died after a large sign fell at the Big Church Festival near Steyning on Friday has been named as Robert Guanco.

Passengers travelling to and from the Isle of Wight are facing continued disruption after Wightlink confirmed its Portsmouth Harbour to Ryde Pier Head FastCat service will remain suspended for the rest of Sunday, with several early sailings on Bank Holiday Monday also cancelled.

A fire which broke out on Eastbourne Pier this morning has been extinguished, with firefighters confirming the blaze was accidental.

Two Sussex MPs are due to question ministers from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office today on issues including trade with Israeli settlements and freedom of religion.

Plans for a new commercial building in Norton have been approved by councillors despite objections from more than 50 local residents.

Water pressure is beginning to return to normal at London Gatwick after a supply issue affected parts of the North Terminal this afternoon.

Sussex Weald MP Nusrat Ghani has visited a third-generation dairy farm in Waldron which has diversified into cheesemaking and now operates its own 24-hour cheese vending machine.

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has welcomed new government measures aimed at protecting homeowners from rogue builders and giving customers greater security when paying for renovation work.

A walk-in out-of-hours mental health service in Crawley is extending its opening hours to help more people access support when they need it.

Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead has been ranked among the best-performing hospitals in England for patient experience.

Portsmouth Water has partnered with the Ministry of Defence and technology specialist Smarti on a new pilot project aimed at reducing water consumption across operational sites.

Work to repair the railway between Lewes and Haywards Heath is nearing completion following the derailment earlier this month.

The Picturedrome cinema in Bognor Regis has been closed until further notice after concerns were raised over fire safety.

A decision on plans for a 400-home development and a new secondary school at Ford Lane has been deferred for a further month by Arun District Council.

Emergency services were called to Elmer Beach near Middleton-on-Sea after a man’s body was found close to the water.

A University of Brighton student is preparing to walk 100 kilometres from Eastbourne to Arundel to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Poppy may be the most common dog name in the UK, but new figures suggest owners in West Sussex are choosing something different.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is looking for new on-call firefighters to join its team in Burwash.

A young Goldendoodle has made an extraordinary recovery after suffering a broken spine, shattered leg and multiple internal injuries in a road traffic accident.

More than 100 faulty electric blankets were taken out of use during safety checks carried out by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service last autumn.

Police are appealing for key witnesses following an unprovoked assault in Gosport which left a 22-year-old man with serious facial injuries.

A woman has been taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries following a serious collision on the A22 at East Grinstead.

Brighton and Hove Albion are preparing for a decisive night of European football as they host Norwegian side Tromsø at the Amex Stadium in the second leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off.

Three teenagers have been arrested following an incident in Newhaven High Street on Monday evening (24 August) around 8pm, during which it was reported a woman was assaulted and a dog was kicked.

Two people have been arrested after a police officer was seriously injured in an incident in Shoreham.

Two men have been arrested after police executed a warrant at an address in Bognor Regis.

Sussex Weald MP Nusrat Ghani has voiced her support for Crowborough youth charity Clued-Up following a recent meeting with the organisation.

Public car parks across Adur are being cleaned and tidied as part of a programme to improve sites throughout the district.

Campaigners are calling on East Sussex County Council to improve the safety of a pedestrian route often used by Lewes school children.

Charities and community organisations across West Sussex are being invited to apply for £1,500 in funding through a new scheme launched by Avisford Park Hotel.

Residents have slammed Southern Water over a leak which has seen water pour down the pavement of a residential road in Southampton for more than 50 days.

Firefighters have issued a warning about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries after an e-bike battery left on charge caused a significant fire at a property in Crawley.

Colleagues at Stagecoach South’s Chichester depot have paid tribute to one of the South’s longest-serving bus drivers, Royston Shaw, who has died aged 87.

A fire at a derelict industrial building in Fernhurst is believed to have been started deliberately.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a motorcyclist was seriously injured in a collision with a car on the A29 at Westergate on Friday afternoon, 21 August.

Firefighters have been tackling a grass fire on an embankment beside the skate park at Bersted Park, near Bognor Regis.

Nearly 2000 properties lose electricity supplies as firefighters continue to tackle a fire at an industrial estate in Rowfant on Saturday (22.08.2026).

A six-year-old girl has died in hospital after getting into difficulty in the sea off Shoreham, bringing the number of people who lost their lives in the incident to four.

An air ambulance remains at Aldingbourne Community Sports Centre, several hours after being sent to the scene of a nearby road incident.

Worthing Borough Council has ordered the companies responsible for parts of the Montague Quarter shopping precinct to clean up their areas or face being charged for contractors to carry out the work.

Plans to build a three-storey building with nine flats in Bognor have been refused although council officers concluded the development’s design and parking were acceptable.

Firefighters are warning people not to take part in a dangerous social media trend involving setting fire to aerosol cans after a deliberate blaze at Horsham Skate Park.

A Hayling Island man recovering from a catastrophic brain injury has been awarded a special golden cape after completing his fifth Superhero Tri.

A tribute has been paid to a 14-year-old boy who died following a collision involving a bus in Portsmouth.

Young people leaving care have been recognised for their achievements and personal development at a West Sussex House Project summer celebration in Crawley.

An Eastbourne man has been jailed for seven and a half years after running a drug line in Brighton.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information after a 14-year-old boy died following a collision involving a bus in Portsmouth.

Football fans across Sussex and Hampshire have a busy weekend of fixtures ahead, with league and cup action taking place across the region.

A man has been arrested following a fire at a flat in Littlehampton.

A man from West Sussex has been sentenced at court for possession of child sexual abuse material.

The railway line between Haywards Heath and Lewes is planned to reopen to passenger services on Tuesday 1 September, following the derailment earlier this month.

Police in Lewes are urging motorcycle owners to take extra security precautions as thefts continue to be reported across the district.

A new strategy aimed at reversing the decline in biodiversity across East Sussex and Brighton & Hove has been published.

Families are being encouraged to make the most of the final weeks of the Dragonfly Festival at WWT Arundel, which runs until 31 August.

Nearly £80,000 is being spent on repairs to the roof of Worthing Town Hall because of water leaks causing damage to its timber structure.

West Sussex County Council leaders have met representatives from Manor Royal Business Improvement District to discuss future economic growth and investment in Crawley.

The parents of a 23-year-old Lindfield, East Hampshire, woman who committed suicide in 2023 have spoken about the devastating impact her death has had on their family.

A fault on a train at Clapham Junction is causing disruption to Southern services between East Croydon and London Victoria this afternoon.

Thousands of teenagers across the South will receive their GCSE results today, with careers advisers urging young people not to panic if their grades are different from those they had hoped for.

Hovertravel is adding late-night services between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight over the August Bank Holiday weekend as Ryde prepares for a busy period of tourism and hospitality activity.

A 14-year-old Sussex cyclist who suffered potentially life-threatening injuries in a serious bike crash has returned to riding just months later.

The RSPCA, based in Horsham, is raising concerns over the use of imported eggs in UK restaurants, cafés and pubs, after research suggested many diners are unaware that eggs from hens kept in battery cages can still be served.

Portsmouth City Council’s children’s services have been rated Outstanding in all four areas following an inspection by Ofsted.

The chair of Adur District Council has paid tribute to the three people who died in Shoreham.

A 21-year-old Newhaven man has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for multiple child sex offences.

Sussex Police are appealing for witnesses after a 49-year-old man was assaulted in Preston Park, Brighton.

A council-backed trial is using new technology to help protect vulnerable young calves from the effects of extreme heat in West Sussex.

Rail investigators say they have identified track irregularities close to the scene of last week’s train derailment near Lewes.

More than 1,000 households are waiting for homes as Adur District Council refurbishes dozens of empty council properties in Southwick.

Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith has voiced his frustration over further delays to the rebuilding of the Angel Inn site in Midhurst, warning that the town’s patience is running out.

Plans to make the overflow car park at Ferring Country Centre permanent have been submitted to Arun District Council

Young people across the South heading abroad this summer are being warned not to risk their futures by accepting offers of so-called “free holidays” which could be linked to drug smuggling.

A new exhibition exploring the hidden world of fungi is opening in Brighton next week, featuring sculptures grown from living fungal networks, mushroom-spore prints, film, sound and performance.

A drug dealer described as a significant supplier of cocaine and cannabis across West Sussex has been jailed for ten years.

Rail passengers face continued disruption between Lewes and Haywards Heath as a major operation gets under way to recover the derailed Southern train.

Organisations across West Sussex can now apply for funding to provide food and activities for eligible children during the 2026 winter school holidays.

Drivers travelling between Bognor Regis and Littlehampton are being warned of possible overnight delays as temporary traffic restrictions continue near Comet Corner.

Developers have been urged to ‘go back to the drawing board’ after plans to build nine homes in Halnaker were refused by Chichester District Council.

A yellow Heat-Health Alert covering the South comes to an end at 9 am today (18.08.2026), following the recent spell of hot weather across the region.

Crowborough man who groomed a teenage girl and raped her has been jailed for 19 years.

A nine-year-old girl has been taken to a major trauma unit following a serious cycling accident at Tamworth Field in Baffins.

Residents and their families at Westergate House in Fontwell enjoyed an afternoon of puppetry and prosecco when Shakespeare’s Globe brought a little theatrical magic into their home.

A prolific shoplifter has been jailed following a targeted theft campaign at a single shop in Bexhill.

Cat owners heading away on their summer holidays can put down the suitcase and step away from the guilt, according to Cats Protection in Haywards Heath.

Mobile phones across southern England have sounded after the Government issued an emergency warning about the very high risk of wildfires.

A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the rape of a girl under the age of 13 in West Sussex.

Rail investigators are examining two passenger train derailments within the space of 24 hours following incidents near Lewes and Wickford.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage following a fatal collision in Hook.

Passengers travelling between Littlehampton and Chichester are benefiting from more than £166,000 of investment in new bus shelters.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is urging people not to ignore wildfire prevention advice as crews continue to respond to a high number of outdoor fires.

The family of a motorcyclist who died following a collision near Petworth has paid tribute to an “amazing dad” whose personality “filled a room”.

Sussex Police has been ranked as the top performing force for answering 999 calls for 12 consecutive months.

Eight fire engines are tackling a fire at a waste transfer site in Ford Road, Ford.

British Transport Police has praised Lewes residents for supporting passengers and emergency crews following yesterday’s train derailment.

A Crowborough man who advertised himself on a childcare website and sexually abused a young girl has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Arun District Council is currently housing 252 households in temporary accommodation and has spent more than £3.5m on emergency and temporary housing in 2025/26.

Firefighters tackled a blaze which spread across two fields and a hedge near Ringmer.

Firefighters have been tackling a large woodland fire at Hawley Lakes in Blackwater.

Residents and community organisations have celebrated the success of Shoreham’s Community Food Hub following its move to the town’s fire station.

Crawley councillors have welcomed the news that local authorities could be given more powers to stop vape and betting shops from opening in town centres.