Gunshots Lead to Crash Injuries

Four people were injured when their car crashed in Hastings during a police pursuit. The incident began after gunshots were reported in Sidley Green, Bexhill.

A black Nissan was chased by police before it was involved in a crash nearly eight miles away in Ivyhouse Lane, North Hastings.

The four people in the car sustained injuries, with one airlifted to hospital, where they were in a serious condition. Sussex Police said the driver of the vehicle, a 26-year-old man of no fixed address, was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. The three passengers, a 21-year-old man from Bexhill, a 23-year-old man from Bexhill, and a 36-year-old man from St Leonards, were arrested on suspicion of affray. Later three other people were arrested, two on firearms offences and one on suspicion of assisting an offender.

People and Dog Rescued

Coastguards and lifeboats were called out after a group of four people and their dog were cut off and trapped by the tide beneath cliffs on the stretch of shore between Fairlight and Rock‑A‑Nore in Hastings.

The group, which was successfully helped to safety, was “wet, cold and tired,” according to their rescuers.

HM Coastguard said that teams from Hastings, Bexhill and Rye Bay, along with Hastings RNLI Lifeboat and Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat, were involved in the rescue operation.

Coastguard Cuts Condemned

Thousands of volunteer coastguards will no longer be paid for emergency call-outs according to the GMB Union. It follows what they describe as a ‘reprehensible’ move by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

The 3,500 volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers (CROs) who carry out rescues around the British coast including Sussex, have always been given hourly remuneration for attending incidents and training exercises.  But a Court of Appeal case recently upheld a judgement classifying even volunteers as ‘workers’ when carrying out paid duties. As a result, the MCA removed the payments. A GMB official, Lynsay Mackay, said: “When someone is lost, injured or in danger on our coastline, nobody asks whether the person coming to help is a volunteer or a worker. If we want a strong, resilient Coastguard for the future, we must make sure that those who step forward are supported, not penalised.”

Arrests in Drugs Bust

A National Crime Agency (NCA) drugs investigation has led to the arrest of five people near Eastbourne Marina.

Witnesses reported a large number of officers boarding a boat at Sovereign Harbour. An NCA spokesperson said: “Five suspects are in custody, the arrests having been made on 8 June near Eastbourne Marina. The investigation is ongoing, and more details will be released in due course.”

Combating Modern Slavery

The charity Crimestoppers is launching a new campaign across Sussex urging people to spot signs of modern slavery and organised immigration crime, and to report concerns anonymously.

The campaign, with the message ‘Spot the signs. Stop the exploitation,’ shows how crime gangs operate in coastal areas, transport routes and local communities, putting vulnerable people at risk.

Annabelle Goodenough, South Central East Regional Manager of Crimestoppers, said: “Organised immigration crime and modern slavery are happening in communities across Sussex, often hidden in plain sight. The reality is that people are being exploited, moved and controlled by criminals who prioritise profit over human life.”

People are asked to report suspicious activities including small boats or equipment moved in secrecy, groups who appear frightened, lost or disoriented, passengers quickly moved into vehicles with few belongings, lorries parked in isolated or unusual locations, and drivers acting nervously or blocking access.

Lifeboat Crew Raise Crazy Money

Members of Hastings RNLI lifeboat crew have raised £190 for FSN, a Hastings-based charity that provides services and projects for children and young people affected by poverty, disadvantage, neglect and abuse.

Earlier in the month, boat and shore crew members, shop volunteers, guides and fundraisers paid to play crazy golf on Hastings’ famous seafront courses, with the proceeds all going to FSN. The competition was won by volunteer boat crew member Sam Glassett, with a score of 39.

Hastings lifeboat management group chair Paul Freathy, who also competed, said: “The annual crazy golf competition has become quite an event. It brings all the different areas of the lifeboat family in Hastings together, so it is a great team-building exercise. And we always choose a local charity to benefit. We are all members of the local community, and of course a charity ourselves, so we know how important the work of FSN is, and the value of public support.”

Crazy Golf King De-throned

A new champion has been crowned at the recent World Crazy Golf Championships in Hastings. It means that previous title holder Mark ‘The Force’ Chapman failed in his bid to be the first person ever to win the title six times in a row.

The new supremo, Rocky Bullin, beat Chapman by just one shot after getting a hole in one in the final round. Simon Tompkins, the tournament organiser from Hastings Adventure Golf, said it was nice to have a different champion. “I think Marc will definitely be back next year because I think he’s definitely got the sixth in him, but this year it’s Rocky’s year,” he told the BBC. More than 250 people competed in what has become one of Hastings’ most iconic sporting events.

Big Brother Watch

The Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne has welcomed the ‘positive impact’ of new AI road safety cameras being trialled in Sussex, ‘helping us tackle some of the most dangerous behaviours on our roads’.

In a period of just four weeks, the cameras are reported to have detected more than 2,200 offences at a single location – including 459 drivers using a mobile phone and 1,823 not wearing a seatbelt.

These are not minor issues, says Ms Bourne. “Failing to wear a seatbelt or using a mobile phone while driving are among the leading causes of serious injury and fatal collisions, and they put lives at risk every single day. This technology supports officers by identifying potential offences quickly and accurately, allowing police to focus their time where it matters most. Importantly, every image is reviewed by a person before any action is taken. While I welcome the use of innovative tools to strengthen enforcement, what really matters is changing behaviour,” she says. “Encouragingly, offences reduced week by week during the trial as awareness grew – showing that education and visibility do make a difference.”