Image copyright jimbosussexmtb Image caption An eyewitness said he saw the pilot "soaked to the skin" talking on his mobile phone

Two people have escaped from a plane which crashed into the sea off the Sussex coast.

They were able to reach the shore after the light aircraft came down "close to the beach" in Shoreham, West Sussex.

The plane, which is believed to be a Cessna, crashed at about 15:50 BST, Sussex Police said.

Both people who escaped from the wreckage are not believed to have been injured in the crash, a force spokesman added.

Shoreham RNLI said it had launched its all weather lifeboat.

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said it received multiple 999 calls reporting that the plane had ditched in the water.

South East Coast Ambulance Service said the two people had been assessed, and neither required hospital treatment.

Jim Barrow, from Worthing said: "One guy, who I assume was the pilot, was soaked to the skin but he was standing up and talking on the phone so he looked OK.

"We're used to seeing planes fly over but not like that."