SEASIDE PANIC
Cops probe Worthing Pier mystery chemical spill as visitors ‘left vomiting with burning eyes’ told to scrub themselves clean
COPS are probing a mystery suspected chemical spill in the seaside town of Worthing, which left two people in hospital and others with burning eyes and vomiting.
Visitors to the West Sussex town's pier and beach have been told to scrub themselves clean after the area was evacuated due to a "hazardous material incident" around midday today.
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Police sealed off the area and locals were told to shut all windows and doors and to stay away from the scene.
Worthing Fire Station tweeted: "People are being advised to shut all windows and doors or stay away from the area."
By late afternoon, Sussex Police confirmed emergency services were "standing down following a hazardous material incident in Worthing".
A statement read: "The decision was made following a full assessment by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and partner agencies.
"All cordons have since been lifted and the seafront is now open as usual.
"A small number of people reported symptoms including sore eyes and vomiting, two of whom were taken to hospital.
"They have both since been discharged, and advised to go home, wash their clothes and have a shower.
"Anyone else affected is advised to do the same – and use copious amounts of water to wash your eyes."
REPORTS OF 'BURNING EYES'
However, visitors continued to report falling ill.
One man told Sun Online he and his five-year-old son were down at Worthing seafront just after 9am for a morning run.
Ian Finch said: "As soon as we got out the wind was quite strong and what we thought was the sea air hit us.
"We were just by Worthing lido running down the beach when both me and my son's eyes began to feel like we had salt in them from the sea air.
"We ran straight off the beach and into the lido where the owner Karl said to me 'are your eyes sore?'
"He insisted me and my boy flush our eyes out with some water as they looked sore."
Liz Brooker, who was visiting the town for the day, said she arrived at the pier at 10am.
She explained: "The police just closed the road to traffic - I didn’t know what was going on till we travelled along the road to head back to London and saw about 5 ambulances heading in to Worthing.
"My eyes were very sore and itchy but I thought it was just the wind and maybe salty air- this was just in the middle of the boat jumble area at 10.30 this morning.
"I came home washed and have rinsed my eyes a few times - they're still a bit stingy but a lot better!
"There looked like a haze but I thought again it was just due to the heavy windy conditions?"
Another woman said she also had sore eyes and was advised: "We were told to wash your face with cold water and possibly have a shower if your're worried about it being on your clothes.
"However I have done this and still have sore eyes, sore throat and a headache."
Another spoke of her friend's complaint that her eyes were "burning" when she was on the beach in 33mph winds.
She said: "My friend complained of burning eyes this morning just after 11am while we were sitting on the beach."
Another woman on the beach added: "Just left Worthing - my eyes were really sore - thought it was the wind!"
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A woman wrote on Facebook: "My husband complained of sore eyes doing Lancing Great Run Local this morning and felt ill directly afterwards."
The incident comes just two years after more than 200 people were treated as a mysterious chemical "haze" hit the south coast 30 miles east of Worthing at Birling Gap.
Some 150 people required treatment for stinging eyes, sore throats and vomiting after the noxious haze reached the shore from Eastbourne to Birling Gap, near Beachy Head, in August of 2017.
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