The bodies of three women have been recovered from the sea off Brighton, Sussex police said.

The force said emergency services were called to concerns for the welfare of three women in the sea off Brighton at around 5.45am on Wednesday.

Ch Supt Adam Hays said: “This is a tragic incident and fast-moving inquiries are ongoing to confirm the identities of these three women and understand exactly what has happened.

“I know this is concerning for the community, but I would ask the public to stay away from the scene at this time while emergency services continue their work.

“We will provide further updates as soon as they are available.”