CAR CRASHES INTO PUB

Eighteen people were eating at the Blacksmith's Arms in Offham at 8.30pm on Tuesday, February 7, when a black Renault Clio paid an unwelcome visit.

The Clio took out the posts holding up the porch and seriously damaged the pub's ladies toilets.

Three teenagers, understood to come from Uckfield, were in the car at the time but none were badly injured.

Landlady Sylvia Booker said: 'It was very lucky nobody was in the toilet at the time or going through the front door.

'We heard a loud bang and everyone jumped up to see what had happened.

'I'm just glad no one was badly hurt.'

The pub was open for business on Wednesday morning with staff still busy clearing up the mess.

Firefighters had placed temporary props under the porch to prevent it collapsing. A council building control inspector declared the pub structurally sound.

The road was closed for an hour and sand was laid down on an oil spill.