Oh buoy! Floating object has landed

The yellow round object towers over the surrounding foreshore like a large Dalek-type monster. Measuring some 14ft high, it dwarfs any passers like a giant alien.

The buoy broke free from its mooring to mark a sewage outfall off Littlehampton last Friday night.

Rough seas finally deposited it on the beach between Dark Lane and Craigweil Lane, close to the Aldwick Hundred house. The buoy is believed to have landed at Aldwick the next day.

Craigweil Lane resident Arthur Archer captured the unusual sight on camera.

Southern Water's contractors have lashed the buoy, weighing four tons, to a groyne to ensure it does not float off on a high tide to become a hazard to shipping. It is likely to be moved in the next few days. The buoy can only be shifted by sea, which means any removal depends on the right weather and tide conditions. A tug needs to be a few hundred metres off-shore to pull the buoy back into the water with a long rope.