Local News

Sussex Police are urging residents to stay vigilant as Valentine’s Day approaches, warning that romance fraud is becoming an increasing concern across the region.

A man has been remanded in custody charged with rape and sexual offences relating to three girls in West Sussex.

Council tax bills in Fareham could rise by 2.99 per cent under proposals for the 2026/27 financial year.

West Sussex County Council is warning drivers not to ignore road closures during flooding.

A landscape gardener from Horsham who sexually abused a girl over several years has been jailed.

Businesses from across West Sussex’s fast-growing tech sector have come together for a major innovation roundtable.

Applications have opened for a new intake onto the apprenticeship programme at London Gatwick Airport, offering aspiring engineers the opportunity to begin their careers in one of the UK’s most dynamic working environments.

Moments before boarding a flight, Helen Warren’s holiday came to an abrupt halt when she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest at London Gatwick.

A repeat offender in Sussex has returned to prison for exposing himself to a lone woman and masturbating just 12 days after being released on licence.

A Sussex Police officer has been found not guilty of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour against his ex-partner following a trial at Kingston Crown Court

Police are looking to identify this man in connection with a rape investigation in Bognor Regis.

Southern Water has responded to concerns raised by Portsmouth’s two Labour MPs about ongoing sewer works on Eastern Road.

Two drivers have been taken to hospital following a crash on the A267 at Five Ashes.

A car has crashed into the main entrance doors at the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath.

Motorists across the South are being urged to take extra care on the roads this morning after another spell of heavy rain overnight led to widespread flooding and difficult driving conditions.

A woman from Chichester who inspired and supported countless people through her courage and honesty through her cancer journey has sadly died.

Six defendants have been sentenced for 39 offences including rape, sexual assault, child cruelty and perverting the course of justice against two girls in their family in West Sussex.

A yellow weather warning remains in force today as further heavy rain is forecast across parts of West Sussex and Hampshire.

Chichester District Council has announced a major £8 million investment in its three leisure centres as part of a new 15-year leisure contract due to begin on 1 May 2026. The decision was approved at a special Cabinet meeting on 20 January and has now been confirmed following the standard call-in period.

Hits from pop royalty including Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter will feature in this year’s colourful laser shows at Chichester Canal Basin, taking place later this month.

Plans to lower the speed limit in part of Newhaven are due to go in front of county councillors next week.

Councillor claims “In two years, Southsea will have one of the finest promenades in Europe” as sea defence designs are approved.

Vapes and tobacco products with an estimated street value of £138,000 have been seized by Hampshire County Council.

A formal complaint is to be lodged after members of the Sussex Police & Crime Panel voted to censure the Police & Crime Commissioner.

Many people across the Chichester area will remember Camilla Chapman – the local woman who is urgently trying to raise £250,000 to help fund specialist cancer treatment.

A man has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 80-year-old Anthony Scarrott from Worthing.

More acts have been confirmed for this year’s Back Then Festival, as organisers continue to build anticipation for one of Chichester’s biggest summer music events.

Portsmouth City Council is set to begin refurbishment work on the Sails of the South on the M275 from 10 February, as part of efforts to keep the landmark safe and looking its best ahead of Portsmouth’s centenary year as a city.

Police are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage following a road traffic collision in Portsmouth.

The Safer Arun Partnership has launched a new Community Safety Grant Fund.

Sussex Police and partners have taken part in a campaign of arrests and safeguarding as part of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Intensification Week.

Police in Brighton are appealing for witnesses and information after an assault in Saunders View Park on Monday 2 February at around 7.30pm.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is urging hospitality venues across the county to review their fire safety arrangements following a series of serious and fatal fires in similar settings overseas.

The Bishop of Chichester has announced he’s retiring at the end of May.

A man has been charged with raping a 17-year-old boy in St Leonards.

Police investigating a serious assault and affray in Horsham have released images of two men they wish to speak with.

Gatwick Airport has announced the launch of two new routes to Germany, strengthening its connections with key European cities.

An appeal for witnesses has been launched following a serious road collision in Southampton.

A man has been found guilty of raping a teenage boy in a flat in central Brighton.

Police made three arrests and seized drugs and cash during warrants at three addresses in Bognor.

Rail passengers across the South East are being warned to expect disruption for the rest of the day, following what train operators have described as “multiple incidents” across the network.

People across Hampshire and parts of West Sussex are being urged to prepare for heavy rain, as unsettled weather continues to affect the south coast.

A Bognor Regis shop owner has been ordered to pay £105,000 after being sentenced for repeatedly selling counterfeit cigarettes and illegal vapes.

Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in East Grinstead has welcomed the publication of the National Cancer Plan for England, describing it as closely aligned with the work the trust already delivers for patients across the South East.

Work has reached a key stage at Havant Thicket Reservoir, as Portsmouth Water marks progress on the UK’s first major new reservoir in decades.

MPs have been warned that poor transport links are holding back the West Sussex economy, with concerns raised over unreliable rail services and chronic congestion on the A27.

Independent high street businesses in Chichester District that trade in the evening or at night could benefit from a new funding boost.

A supermarket chain’s bid to secure a licence for a new store in Hailsham is due to go in front of Wealden councillors.

People looking to buy a puppy in Chichester area are being urged to choose a licensed breeder.

Students are being encouraged to boost their job prospects while helping their local community by volunteering with Arun & Chichester Citizens Advice.

Police in Fareham are continuing to appeal for witnesses after a man and a woman were approached by a group of young people at the town’s railway station.

Portsmouth City Council has outlined £3m of savings and a council tax rise ahead of the budget-setting process.

A new Mayoral Combined County Authority is being set up across East and West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove, even though a mayor won’t be elected until 2028.

South East Water is facing growing criticism for keeping a hosepipe ban in place, despite Ardingly Reservoir being full.

A record number of illegal vapes and tobacco products have been seized in Hampshire as Trading Standards step up action against rogue traders.

A moped rider caught dealing Class A drugs in Crawley has been jailed.

Police are investigating reports of attempted break-ins across parts of Mid Sussex and Crawley.

Firefighters are warning residents after a recycling lorry caught fire in Burgess Hill.

The Environment Agency is set to begin essential refurbishment work at the Widewater Lagoon in late January 2026.

Police forces in the South are joining other forces across the country in a four-week Firearms Amnesty for five types of BRUNI-manufactured side / top-venting blank firers  (TVBFs) which are now illegal to possess following testing by the National Crime Agency and policing.  

Firefighters from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue are continuing to deal with the aftermath of a blaze at Southampton General Hospital, where a major incident was declared earlier this morning.

Firefighters have successfully extinguished a blaze at a pub in Market Square in Petworth this afternoon.

Homes in and around Selsey have seen their water supplies restored after an overnight fault left some properties without water or experiencing low pressure earlier today.

A popular West Sussex houseplant brand is expanding its presence in Chichester with the opening of a new shop in the city centre.

A Sussex crime panel has voted that it has lost confidence in the regions Police and Crime Commissioner, Katy Bourne, following concerns over her attendance at a recent protest.

Racing fans are being invited to one of the standout fixtures of the winter jumps season, as the National Spirit Hurdle returns to Fontwell Park Racecourse next month.

Plans showing how the next section of Southsea seafront could look are set to be decided by councillors next week.

Portsmouth City Council has published new figures showing progress in supporting businesses across the city during 2025.

New parents Kira and Dan, from Horsham, have been reunited with the SECAmb clinicians who helped deliver their first baby during an emergency home birth and treated a serious postpartum complication that followed.

Construction of a major new housing development in Worthing town centre is set to get underway this month.

A man from Bognor Regis has been jailed after sexually assaulting two women while they slept.

The Solent WASPI campaign has accused ministers of showing “utter contempt” towards women born in the 1950s after the Government again ruled out paying compensation over changes to the state pension age.

A pupil at the prestigious Roedean School in Brighton has been found dead.

Eastbourne Borough Council says it will fast-track a bid to the government’s new £1.5 billion fund for cultural venues.

Adur and Worthing councils say they’ve helped scores of the least well-off households across the area with supermarket vouchers worth £100, as part of ongoing cost-of-living support.

Plans to invest nearly £3.5 million in Portsmouth’s community and civic assets are being hailed as helping to futureproof the city ahead of Local Government Reorganisation.

Santander has announced plans to close 44 branches across the UK, including locations in Gosport and Andover, as part of a major shake-up of its high street presence.

A major summer music event has been confirmed for Chichester, with thousands of people expected to attend when the Back Then Festival arrives in the city later this year.

One of Chichester’s longest-standing cultural institutions is marking a major milestone as it enters its fiftieth anniversary year.

A major £250 million investment in healthcare has been confirmed by the Government and the New Hospitals Programme to deliver a new regional Centre of Excellence for cancer care in Brighton and Hove.

Rail passengers in West Sussex and Surrey are being told the railway line between Horsham and Dorking is expected to reopen by mid-February, following disruption caused by a landslip.

A Sussex Police officer charged with dangerous driving has been released with no further action by prosecutors.

Police are appealing for help to identify the owner of a dog believed to be a Labrador after it was found alone at the water’s edge on the Roedean undercliff.

Water bills across the South are set to rise again next year, adding further pressure to household budgets following steep increases in recent years.

Plans have been revealed for a new Aldi store in Hastings as part of a wider UK expansion.

West Sussex County Council is expected to approve its proposed budget for the year ahead at a Cabinet meeting next week.

A community grant scheme aimed at reducing household waste is already delivering results across West Sussex.

Drivers are being urged to plan journeys in advance as a section of the M3 will be fully closed in both directions over the weekend.

Police in Gosport are appealing for help after a shoplifting incident at Waitrose.

Long-awaited plans to refurbish and modernise the building which housed Crawley’s first department store have been approved by the borough council.

Horsham man Keith Clifton has been found guilty of a string of rapes and sexual abuse against a young girl over several years.

Police say a man has died and a teenager has been taken to hospital following a serious crash on the A27 near the Amex Stadium, just outside Brighton.

A man from Crawley has been jailed for sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy and possessing child abuse material.

People in Arun are being invited to have their say on plans to improve walking, cycling and mobility access.

Formal proposals to close Twineham Church of England Primary School in the Haywards Heath area have been published by West Sussex County Council.

A bid is being prepared to make Portsmouth UK City of Culture, as politicians and creatives set out what the title could mean for the city.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is urging residents to be aware of the fire risks linked to microwavable wheat bags, following a domestic fire in Worthing.

Network Rail says it understands the closure of the railway line between Surrey and West Sussex will be frustrating for passengers, but insists it has been left with no alternative.

A dangerous offender who threatened to ignite a gas cylinder in a property during a police stand-off has been sentenced.

Plans to build a 78-bed care home in East Grinstead have been approved by Mid Sussex District Council.

Hampshire County Council’s director of children’s services is to retire at the end of March after 40 years working in public service.

The asylum seeker camp in Crowborough could cost more than £5.5M in additional policing, according to new estimates.

Storm Chandra is forecast to bring heavy rain and unsettled conditions across southern England today.

An investigation is underway after a man was seriously assaulted in Sidlesham.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has defected to Reform UK.

Police have made three arrests in East Sussex following reports of disorder outside the Crowborough training camp.

The A27 at Southbourne has reopened after being closed earlier this morning following a medical emergency.

A pedestrian is in a life-threatening condition following a collision in Peacehaven.

Renewed funding has secured the long-term future of the Holiday Activities and Food programme across Hampshire, ensuring thousands of children and young people will continue to receive support during school holidays.

A new weekly food waste recycling service is set to be rolled out across the Chichester District from this spring.

A housing development on the outskirts of Eastbourne can now be occupied before major road improvements take place, council officers have decided.

The shortlisted artists for the upcoming Pride of Portsmouth lion art trail have now been announced, marking a major step towards the launch of the colourful public art event later this year.

Police in Chichester are urging residents to take extra care over home security this winter, warning that burglaries can have a lasting impact on people’s wellbeing and sense of safety.

Plans to regenerate The Arcade in Bognor Regis have taken a major step forward after receiving unanimous backing from councillors.

Preventing homelessness and reducing rough sleeping are among the aims in Horsham District Council’s new Housing and Homelessness Strategy.

Hundreds of new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities will be created across the region, following the approval of a major capital investment programme by Hampshire County Council.

A man has been sentenced to 13 years imprisonment for sexually abusing a young girl.

The MP for Sussex Weald, Nusrat Ghani, has called on Wealden District Council to consider legal action following the arrival of asylum seekers at the army training camp in Crowborough.

County council elections due to take place in May in East and West Sussex have officially been postponed, following approval from central government.

Hampshire County Council’s proposal to make utility companies pay up to £2,500 a day for carrying out roadworks on the county’s busiest roads at peak times is heading to central government for approval.

The NSPCC is appealing for people in Eastbourne to consider volunteering for its Schools Service, as many look to make positive changes at the start of the New Year.

Businesses across the Chichester District are being invited to take part in a new survey looking at the local business climate.

A Chichester councillor has asked for the city’s most famous cricketing son to be remembered when the Priory Park pavilion is revamped or rebuilt.

Police say they’re match-ready ahead of this weekend’s south coast derby between Portsmouth and Southampton football clubs.

Adur and Worthing Councils have launched a new strategy to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping across the area.

A Crowborough man has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of multiple serious child sexual offences.

A motorcyclist is in a serious condition following a collision on the A259 Albion Street in Southwick.

More than 145 tonnes of waste material that washed ashore along the West Sussex coastline in recent weeks has now been collected and safely disposed of, as a major clean-up operation continues across the county.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue are at the scene of a fire in Angmering on Greenwood Road.

A series of flood alerts are in force across parts of Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, as high river levels, heavy rainfall and coastal conditions increase the risk of flooding.

As part of an investigation into the death of a woman at an address in Bitterne, police have now charged a man with murder.

Changes to teachers’ pay policies in West Sussex have been welcomed by the National Education Union (NEU).

The Towner Gallery in Eastbourne has announced that its Director and CEO will step down this spring after eight years in the role.

Roald Dahl’s much-loved children’s classic The BFG is set to be brought to life on an epic scale at Chichester Festival Theatre this spring, as the venue opens its 2026 Festival season.

Children across the Chichester District are being invited to get creative for a new exhibition coming to The Novium Museum this spring.

A main route through Haywards Heath could soon be safer and more welcoming.