Gale force winds reaching speeds of more than 60mph sent waves crashing onto the promenade as water levels quickly rose.

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Wood splinters from the sunken ship Ice Prince and pebbles were also thrown into the air, causing a hazard to the few residents brave enough to be on the seafront.

One of the people down there taking photos was Sue Gregory, of Avondale Close, Goring. Sue, 41, said: "I have lived in Worthing all my life and this is some of the worst weather I have seen.

"I came to the seafront as I have a new camera and wanted to record the event. I saw one wave bring in a huge plank of wood, so it's quite dangerous really."

Before 1pm the lower end of the pier behind the Pavilion Theatre was open, allowing people to experience the full-force of the gusts.

But as conditions worsened and bigger waves began to crash over the railings, the area was cordened-off by police.

Trevor and Lena, of New Parade, Worthing, said: "The police told us they had to shut off the area for people's safety.

"We wanted to come down because it's an amazing sight. The waves are huge."

Minutes later seawater began flowing down the promenade into the road, forcing traffic to slow down to avoid the big puddle that was forming.

As high tide hit, it became difficult to walk and the few pedestrians still outside could be seen struggling to stay upright.

Eventually, the tide turned and the waves began to retreat. It is forecast this will be the worst of the wild weather, although heavy winds are likely to continue for the rest of the week.