‘Madness’ as scaffolding collapses and damages cars in Hove

Scaffolding has collapsed onto a city street creating a scene one resident described as “madness”.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said no one was injured in the incident on First Avenue in Hove on Thursday.

Photos collected by BBC reporters on the scene showed multiple cars damaged by the metal poles.

Michael Carey, who lives nearby, told BBC Radio Sussex it was “dramatic”, adding: “It feels a bit mental. It’s lucky that no one was walking past or in the cars.”

The incident comes amid a Met Office yellow weather warning for rain in southern England.

Mr Carey said one car looked “completely crushed”, the scaffolding was “wrecked” and the glasswork and balconies on buildings were damaged.

“Madness”, he told BBC Radio Sussex.

Firefighters said they were called to the incident just before 13:30 GMT, with one fire engine from Preston Circus in attendance.

Crews attended the scene, liaised with police and the area was cordoned off, they added.

The fire service said they left the scene just after 15:00, handing over to the main building contractor.

Mimi Hodgkins, who lives next to scaffolding in Adelaide mansions, told the BBC she did not hear anything.

She said she was “really surprised” to see what happened, with a “lot of police” in attendance.

“It’s very windy, very dangerous actually,” she said.

“I was lucky that I didn’t park my car there… even if you were passing there, you could really be killed.”