Police officers in Sussex are ‘exhausted’ and missing out on time with their families because they are owed a staggering four years of time off.

But the 40,538 hours of overtime owed to our officers has been described as an ‘occupational hazard’ because of dwindling police numbers.

The stark figures were revealed following a Freedom of Information request submitted to Sussex Police by retired senior officer Kevin Moore, who is worried about officers’ welfare.

Simon Steele, secretary of the Sussex Police Federation, commented on the figures.

He said: “It has sadly become an occupational hazard that time and time again officers are having to put their personal lives on hold to cope with the demands being placed on them.

“This means they are unable to spend valued time with their families and loved ones and unable to recharge their already exhausted bodies.”

‘We simply do not have a sufficient number of police officers’

In addition to the overtime hours, officers have 11,045 rest days currently outstanding. These are days off that were cancelled so that additional officers could be on hand for things like extra security at big events.

Simon added: “We simply do not have a sufficient number of police officers to cope with the excessive demands that are being placed on them.

“What the public don’t understand is that the officers simply have no choice but to work when days off are cancelled.”

‘I am not allowed to take it off’

Former Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Moore argued that many officers find it ‘practically impossible’ to take lieu hours back.

Kevin, who was head of Eastbourne’s CID said: “The ability to take that time off becomes practically impossible.

“You end up with this huge backlog of rest days and time off owing.

“You have got serving officers saying ‘I am not allowed to take it off’.”

Paying it off would cost Sussex Police £710,016

When an officer works overtime they are given the choice to have extra pay or take the time back as lieu, so it has always been a balancing act for police commanders, Kevin argues.

Kevin, who was also district commander at Brighton and Hove for a time, said: “When I was in charge if I wanted to line the streets with extra police officers I would have to balance budgets at the end of the year.

“By skill and the efforts of my finance manager we were able to always stay within budget.

“It is becoming more and more difficult for people to do that now because there is less money available.”

According to the Police Federation, the average officer eligible for overtime earns £36,547 a year.

Using that as a guide, it would cost £710,016 for Sussex Police to pay off all the overtime lieu hours owed to officers.

Sussex Police respond to the figures

Deputy Chief Constable Bernie O’Reilly said: “Looking after the well being of our officers and staff is critical so, in turn, they can protect the public.

“The figures are an indication of the commitment and selflessness of our people but also clearly raise a concern about making sure we get the balance right.”

“The time in lieu highlighted has been accrued over many years; it is monitored by managers who work with teams to ensure their welfare.

“Soon we will be welcoming more people into Sussex Police with an additional 200 officers working with us by 2022.

“I am confident this will reduce the need to cancel rest days in the future and the public and our teams will feel a difference as we spend the increase in council tax in areas we are the most stretched.”

However Simon from the Police Federation thinks the problem will only get worse.

He said: “It is even more worrying that these figures are likely to continue rising as there just isn’t the capacity that would allow officers to take the time off that is owed to them.

“The Federation warned the Government that the cuts to policing had gone too far and that there would be consequences.

“Sadly those consequences are now coming to the fore and it is the morale and health and wellbeing of police officers that is sadly being affected. Many are at breaking point and it can’t be allowed to continue.”

A review of future options to deliver 999 call handling and fire engine mobilisation in West Sussex could lead to the termination of a joint agreement with East Sussex.

The Sussex Control Centre has been in operation since May 2014, when the mobilising staff from East and West Sussex moved into a new facility at Haywards Heath.

The centre ran the two legacy systems for East and West providing 999 call handling and fire engine mobilisation across Sussex.

However back in March, East Sussex Fire and Rescue moved to a new 999 control room system, which has led to a number of problems, with an investigation finding 158 issues up to June.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was set to migrate on to the new system a few months later, but this may now no longer take place.

According to a West Sussex County Council decision issued last week: “The leader has approved plans for current and future service arrangements for emergency call response across the county and given authority for officers to prepare options for future consideration.”

No further information is publicly available as the rest is secret and only made available to councillors.

However when the decision was first published it made reference to giving officers the authority to terminate the agreement if necessary.

A county council spokesman said: “We have decided to review our plans to move over to a new system for handling emergency calls to West Sussex Fire and Rescue.

“The decision taken last week is simply to allow us to put our partners East Sussex Fire and Rescue Authority on notice of our wish to review the plans as they currently provide for a joint arrangement with them.

“Subject to ‘call-in’ on this decision, we will now take a fresh look at options in order to deliver the most efficient and cost effective mobilising system to serve the people of West Sussex. The decision follows an assessment of the proposals for the joint service at the Sussex Control Centre in Haywards Heath.

“Whilst our review is underway the service currently in place at Haywards Heath will continue to operate.

“We have had a really good working relationship with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and look forward to that continuing.”

The spokesman confirmed a summary of a confidential report had been briefly published in error but did not itself contain any sensitive commercial information.

Meanwhile members of the East Sussex Fire Authority will be meeting to discuss the decision and its implications.

A spokesman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: “We can reassure the public that our operations will not be affected. We will continue to answer 999 calls and respond to emergencies as normal.”

In June East Sussex Fire Authority members heard an investigation had found 158 issues with the new Remsdaq 4i mobilising system.

Some of the problems were down to poor wi-fi at fire stations, others were teething problems with the new system, weaknesses in existing systems or could not be blamed on technology.

According to the East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service the system has been used to manage more than 4,500 calls and incidents.

A spokesman added: “The introduction of any new system is carefully monitored and a small number of problems are to be expected.

“We therefore ensure there are back-up processes in place.

“We have resolved a number of reported defects with station-end equipment, the great majority of these issues were not the 4i system directly and affected a small proportion of the total number of mobilisations.

“These issues have been addressed as soon as they came to light and fixes have been put in place.

“Our staff have continued to gain experience with the new system, and have become highly proficient in using it.

“This has further reduced the number of reported errors.

“A joint investigation with the Fire Brigades Union is ongoing and a safety notice from the union was withdrawn several weeks ago.”

James Walsh, leader of the Lib Dem group at County Hall, said: “The new fire and rescue proposals do nothing to re-assure communities about fast response times to fires, where time costs lives.

“We already have severe undermanning at too many stations, with at times only half the fire engines able to turn out rapidly.

“Shelving the agreement with East Sussex will make fast co-operative mutual aid across county boundaries more difficult and slower.”

Back in July 2017, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne decided to drop plans to take over fire and rescue services in the county.

West Sussex County Council argued its fire service was heavily integrated into other services it provided.

However Mrs Bourne said she would review the decision two years’ later if the necessary collaboration between the two fire services set out in the review had not taken place.

Dr Walsh warned that any decision to terminate the agreement for a joint control centre would weaken the county council’s response to another potential takeover bid by Mrs Bourne.

He argued this would be bad for the fire service, given the PCC’s record of reducing police numbers, adding: “The public pay for the fire and rescue and have the right to expect a better service, not continuous cost cutting and worsening response times.”

Motorists are facing delays on the A23 in Handcross this afternoon following an accident which involved a motorbike and lorry.

Traffic reports say one lane (of two) is closed southbound, with lengthy queues on the approach.

Congestion has also been reported at J11 (Pease Pottage).

The northbound carriageway closed earlier to allow an air ambulance to land.

Reports say this has now re-opened and the air ambulance has left the scene.

Read our updated story: Man taken to hospital after collision on A23 near Handcross

A man has been taken to hospital following a collision on the A23 near Handcross.

Emergency services were called to the collision just before 3.30pm.

Read our original story here: Delays on A23 in Handcross after accident involving motorbike and lorry

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “At 3.24pm on Friday (August 24), we received a report that a crane lorry and a moped had collided on the southbound A23 at Warninglid.

“The man riding the moped was taken by road ambulance to hospital with head, chest and arm injuries.

“His condition is not know but initial reports do not suggest that the injuries were life threatening.

“A medical helicopter did land but was not needed. Both carriageways were closed but re-openings have already started.”

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) said: “At 3.27pm we responded with two cars and an ambulance to a collision between a vehicle and a motorcycle on the A23 near Handcross.

“The rider was also assessed by the air ambulance and was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton by road.”

Police were called to a school in Burgess Hill last night after reports of a break-in.

Officers, a dog unit, along with a police helicopter, were called to the special school in Chanctonbury Road after 10.30pm.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Police were called to Woodlands Meed School in Chanctonbury Road, Burgess Hill, at 10.35pm on Thursday (August 23), following reports of four people breaking into the building.

“Officers and a dog unit attended the scene and they, along with the police helicopter, conducted a search but the suspects were not found.

“Officers have liaised with the school and it is unknown at this stage if anything was stolen.

“If you witnessed any suspicious behaviour in the area at this time please report online here or call 101 quoting reference 1542 of 23/08.”

READ MORE: Man taken to hospital after collision on A23 near Handcross

Delays on A23 in Handcross after accident involving motorbike and lorry

Closing date for Co-op in Haywards Heath confirmed

A bus carrying festival-goers home from Victorious burst in to flames late last night.

The double-decker was packed full of passengers who had just watched The Libertines close a very wet first day of the top music event on Southsea Common.

It was on the M275 heading back to the park and ride at Lakeside when passengers on the top deck said they could feel the bus heating up.

Within seconds flames could be seen coming from the grill behind the back seat sparking an initial scramble to reach the stairs and the safety of the lower deck.

The bus immediately pulled over on to the hard shoulder and, after the initial confusion over what was happening, calm was restored and the driver ensured everybody was off safely.

As passengers waited on the hard shoulder the bus could be seen filling with smoke and thick white plumes continued to pour from the roof.

It was not long before the smoke turned to flames which shot from the top and the back of the bus as the fire started to take hold.

Emergency services were quickly on the scene and closed off the northbound carriageway, near the Sails of the South, while two fire crews doused the flames.

A replacement bus was called and the passengers, who had spent 20 minutes in the cold and wet behind the safety barriers as the drama unfolded, were taken on to their journey back to Lakeside and on to the Victorious campsite at Farlington.

Mark Waldron, editor of The News, Portsmouth's daily newspaper, was one of the passengers on the top deck.

He said: "It was a very dramatic end to what had been a enjoyable opening to Victorious.

"There was initial confusion and panic as those at the back of the bus rushed to the stairs while those at the front were unaware of the drama happening behind them.

"But once the cause was known, the bus pulled over and we all filed out to safety behind the crash barriers on the hard shoulder, It was quite a spectacle as the flames took hold but the firefighters were quickly on the scene and the fire was instantly out.

"Watching as the bus caught alight you were just left feeling incredibly thankful that nobody was injured."

Hundreds of hens can expect a free range retirement, with the help of a Sussex re-homing event.

The British Hen Welfare Trust will be re-homing 10,000 ex-commercial hens across the country in September and 240 of these will be looking for homes in Sussex.

These hardworking hens have been laying eggs for supermarkets and processed foods for 18 months but have now come to the end of their useful commercial laying life.

Instead of farmers sending flocks to slaughter, the trust steps in to try to save as many of the hens as possible.

The event on Sunday, September 16, in Arundel will aim to find new homes so the hens can go on to become family pets.

Francesca Taffs, marketing and communications officer for the trust, said: “These hens make the most wonderful pets. They just want the chance to be free and live like chickens should.

“After a few weeks, you’ll be able to pick them up, cuddle them, just like you would a cat or a dog and, best of all, they’ll even lay you fresh eggs for breakfast.”

Register your details at www.bhwt.org.uk and then call Hen Central on 01884 860084 for full details.

It is an Animal and Plant Health Agency requirement that all hens are traceable, so full contact details are required in advance. Hens are available for a donation.

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Not only a new wine list, but a whole new look.

The Swan Hotel, in the centre of Arundel, has recently undergone an extensive programme of renovation, inside and out.

Dating back to 1759, The Swan was originally a coaching inn, with stabling for horses and places for coaches at the rear. The Georgian building itself has remained relatively the same in proportions as at the end of the 18th century, but now boasts a range of 14 cosy, modern, bedrooms, together with a characterful restaurant.

Still owned by the Fullers brewery, the Swan has kept its pub side, which is very popular with visitors and Arundel residents alike.

“We wanted to keep the traditional pub feel, while creating a modern, vibrant atmosphere similar to some pubs in the capital,” explained the general manager, Beatha Slapikaite, who is originally from Lithuania.

“At the same time, we have upgraded our restaurant, engaged a great new kitchen brigade and can now offer both residents and travellers a modern, relaxing and satisfying leisure and dining experience.”

All this naturally needs to be complemented by a fine wine list. However, the Swan Hotel has never been an ordinary ale house, and the 1903 Kimpton’s Guide to Arundel praised its ‘Wines and Spirits of superior quality’. With the backing of Fullers, this is continued to this day, under the watchful eye of the efficient and welcoming general manager, Beatha.

The carefully chosen wine list has kept some long term favourites, such as the red Le Versant Pinot Noir from Southern France and the house white Colombard/Sauvignon from Domaine Perhus in Gascony.

But it also offers some more unusual wines, such as a Pinot Gris from Argentina and an Albariño from the Rias Baixas region of North-west Spain. Then there are some fabulous classics such as a top Chablis from l’Orangerie du Chateau, and one of my favourite reds, Amarone Classico from the Valpolicella region of North Italy.

This great wine collection is perfect to choose the right wine to match the new range of dishes flowing from the kitchen. Recently, I had the opportunity to put this to the test and chose the Albariño to accompany a fishy menu. This seemed appropriate, since in bygone days, right up until the early 1900s, Arundel was a sea port of some importance, and fresh local fish featured high on the agenda. The seared scallops with black pudding, apple and pea shoots was a delicious, well-balanced starter, followed by gently spiced cod on a cauliflower purée and mango salsa. The dry crisp white wine from the coastal area of Northern Spain paired magnificently with the salty and fruity components of the dishes.

The Swan Hotel features as one of the restaurants in this year’s Arundel Festival Restaurant Trail, run by the Arundel Wine Society, serving a superb dish of pan-fried duck breast. If you are lucky enough to have acquired a ticket, you will be able to experience the new-look restaurant. If not, book a table next time you are in the town of Arundel.

Richard Esling BSc DipWSET is an experienced wine consultant, agent, writer and educator. An erstwhile wine importer, he runs a wine agency and consultancy company called WineWyse, is founder and principal of the Sussex Wine Academy, chairman of Arundel Wine Society and is an International Wine Judge. Twitter @richardwje. Visit www.winewyse.com.

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Rail disruption is expected today – here’s your guide to travel in Sussex.

As £84million engineering works are underway across the country services in our counties are likely to be affected.

In Sussex, Southern rail services are expected to be hit with delays and bus replacements.

Here are the disruptions we know about:

Buses replace trains between Seaford and Lewes today

Replacement buses will continue run between Seaford and Lewes.

The bus journey between Seaford and Lewes is expected to take about 30 minutes.

However if you are planning to connect with train services at Lewes, Southern recommends you allow an extra 40 minutes to make your journey.

Buses will operate every 15 minutes (every 10 minutes at peak times) and call at all stations.

Buses will connect into train services at Lewes for onward travel to other destinations. There will also be a reduced train service between Lewes and Brighton.

Buses replace some trains Three Bridges and Brighton

Replacement buses will run between Three Bridges and Brighton from today until Friday, August 31.

The 23:25 London Victoria to Brighton will terminate at Three Bridges tonight.

The 21:49, 22:45 and 23:45 Bedford to Brighton services will not run.

For more information, click here.

A 20-year-old man died last night after his car collided with a tree.

The incident happened on the B2112 road in Ditchling, East Sussex.

Police were called to the scene at 11.10pm last night.

A Sussex Police spokesman said: “A Black Volkswagen Golf collided with a tree.

“The driver, a 20-year-old local man, sadly died.”

The man’s next of kin have been informed.

Anyone with any information about what happened should contact Sussex Police quoting Operation Stanbridge.

Police can be contacted online or by calling 101.

Police in Crawley have recovered more than 3,000 canisters of nitrous oxide and issued a warning.

Known as ‘NOS’, police warned that possession with intent to supply is an offence.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said early this morning: “A proactive stop and search this week led us to over 3000 NOS canisters in #Crawley that will now not cause harm on the streets of #Sussex.”

Highs of 21 degrees and hazy sunshine are on their way to Sussex, but not without the risk of thunder and rain, according to the latest weather forecast.

The Met Office is predicting an unsettled week for Sussex.

Into this evening the weather service is forecasting ‘dry and bright’ conditions and falling winds for a pleasant end to the day.

It should remain dry overnight with the cloud breaking to give some clear spells.

Tuesday should start dry and bright with sunny spells.

However the Met Office say it will cloud over in the afternoon with the sunshine turning increasingly hazy.

Some heavy and perhaps thundery showers could develop overnight.

Overnight showers should be gone as Wednesday morning goes on, but rain is expected to be back in the evening.

Slightly better conditions are predicted for Thursday and Friday, where Sussex residents counting down to the weekend should be greeted with sunny spells and warm days.

MORE NEWS: Man dies after VW Golf collides with tree in Ditchling

Two hooded boys are being sought after stones were thrown at a moving steam train yesterday, with one smashing a window and narrowly avoiding a passenger.

The incident left a carriage on Sussex’s beloved Bluebell Railway line damaged.

What is more, a volunteer out investigating yesterday’s incident was hit in the face by a stick earlier today.

Police say the stick was thrown by one of two young boys who matched the description from the previous day.

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: “Yesterday there was a stone thrown that smashed a window and narrowly avoided injuring someone on the train.

“Two youths were throwing stones, about 12 years old.

“They were wearing hoodies with the hoods up.”

Following the incident yesterday, police said that the railway company asked staff to search land east of the railway line.

One volunteer spotted two youths and one of them threw a stick at him, hitting in the face, police said.

The police spokesman added: “He had a minor injury from where it hit him in the face.”

The Bluebell Railway is a heritage rail line between Sheffield Park station and East Grinstead.

Anyone with any information about the incident should contact police online or call 101.

The Bluebell Railway has been approached for comment.

Sunny spells are set to develop in Sussex this afternoon after a cloudy start to the day.

Any early mist or fog patches will quickly lift to leave a generally dry but mainly cloudy morning.

The skies will turn a little brighter into the afternoon with some sunny spells developing.

Winds will stay light throughout the day, with maximum temperatures of 22degC.

However there may be some showers this evening which could turn heavy.

The showers are due to continue through to early on Wednesday morning.

Sunrise – 06:08; sunset – 19:56.

NEWS FROM SUSSEX: Ten flats and five shops ‘badly affected’ by big Worthing fire but blaze is now ‘under control’

Hooded boys smash moving steam train’s carriage window, narrowly avoiding passenger

St Bernard supermum gives birth to 13 adorable puppies

Burgess Hill District Lions has teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Support Organisation (PCaSO) to offer a free PSA testing session for men.

The testing will take place in Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill, on Saturday, October 13.

The screening will be conducted by trained personnel and nurses who will take a blood sample from the arm that will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. The test result will then be posted to the man.

A spokesman for the Lions said: “If our screening event helps save just one life it then it will be well worth the investment.”

Men aged between 40 and 80 wishing to take part are asked to ring 0845 8332706 after September 3, to make an appointment.

PSA stands for Prostate Specific Antigen. The screening is not offered automatically on the NHS which is why the Lions are working with PCaSO to provide the service.

A spokesman added: “The simple blood test measures the amount of antigen produced by the prostate entering the blood.

“It is not a direct test for cancer as a moderately raised reading can be an indicator of other problems.

“One in every two men will have a problem with their prostrate gland at some stage on their lives.

“It could be infection, enlargement or cancer. A high reading merely acts as an advice for further tests to see if any other treatment is needed.

“Some leading clinicians believe all men over 50 should know their PSA level and have regular yearly checks.”

Man dies after VW Golf collides with tree in Ditchling

Hooded boys smash moving steam train’s carriage window, narrowly avoiding passenger

Hazy sunshine and thundery showers – what weather to expect in Sussex this week

Boomerang Barber Shop in Burgess Hill welcomed Jill Needham on Saturday (August 25), who braved the shave to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Jill has raised £100 so far, with more donations coming in.

She sacrificed her locks to remember her dad and to show support for her mum who has recently been diagnosed with cancer.

Jo Stone, who owns Boomerang Barber Shop in Church Walk, said: “Macmillan is an amazing charity and we think Jill should be given recognition for doing this.

“Jill is now a bit chilly round the ears and a bit ‘light headed’ but also very happy to have done something for a great cause.

“If you would like to show your support, please leave any donations with us or you can text a £5 donation to 70550 using the code SHAVE 20383.”

Free prostate testing for men being offered in Burgess Hill

Man dies after VW Golf collides with tree in Ditchling

Hooded boys smash moving steam train’s carriage window, narrowly avoiding passenger

Businesses across West Sussex are being reminded of the rules about selling and storing fireworks.

West Sussex Trading Standards Service is running two courses this autumn to teach businesses how to store and sell fireworks legally and safely.

The courses, aimed at retail staff who sell fireworks, will teach them how to apply for an explosives license, store fireworks safely and prevent underage sales.

At the end of the course each delegate will be issued with a self-audit sheet which will help them prepare for an inspection.

Peter Aston, Trading Standards Team Manager, said: “Over the last few years inspections have uncovered concerns with the way in which some businesses store fireworks. Poor storage creates a safety as well as a financial risk to the business, the staff, customers and neighbours. The sale of fireworks to underage persons also poses a wider risk to the community.”

He added “Retail staff of all levels from many types of shop including newsagents, supermarkets, convenience stores, hardware stores and garden centres would benefit from attending one of these courses.”

The ‘Gain and Maintain your Fireworks License - Store and Sell Safely’ courses take place on:

• Monday 10 September 2018 10pm – 1pm Horsham - County Hall North/Parkside Goodwood Room

• Monday 1 October 2018 10pm – 1pm Worthing - Centenary House Millennium Room

The cost of the course is £35 plus VAT per person.

Debbie Kennard, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Safer, Stronger Communities, said: “As well as being lots of fun, it is so important for businesses to remember that fireworks can also be really dangerous when handled and stored incorrectly.

“So I would urge businesses to encourage as many members of staff as possible to educate themselves by attending one of these courses.”

To book a place or for more details, visit: www.westsussexcpd.co.uk and click on the Business West Sussex Training box at the bottom of the page, or call 0330 222 7669.

A summer fete with a poignant story of friendship has raised £2,000 for the air ambulance.

One Fine Day took place on Sunday August 26, despite the bad weather plenty of people turned out to support this one-off event.

Alice Cook, 33 from Handcross organised the fete in Balcombe to show her appreciation and raise money for the Kent, Sussex and Surrey Air Ambulance (KSSAA) for saving the life of her best friend Chezzie Brough, 30 from Cuckfield who fell off of her horse in a near-fatal accident.

There was plenty to keep visitors entertained throughout the day including, whole host of things happening throughout the day, including a cake competition, judged by BBC’s The Great British Bake Off contestant Cat Dresser.

A dog show, vintage Sussex ice creams, afternoon teas, a hog roast, ferret racing, and Zumba and Swoove demonstrations we also at the Balcombe cricket pitch.

Brighton based ‘pirate’ band The Captain’s Beard entertained the evening crowd with Irish jigs.

With live music from three different DJs meant there was something for everyone.

Ms Cook said: ““The air ambulance crew saved my best friend’s life, and I truly think she wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the speed, knowledge and efficiency of KSSAA. Chezzie has had a long period of recovery, learning to walk again with a zimmer frame. Unbelievably she is back riding like the accident never happened. In short I owe KSSAA everything and I simply couldn’t be more grateful.”

NSPCC Campaigns Manager Emma Motherwell takes a look at the apps and sites children are using and how you can help keep them safe

Today we’re looking at probably one of the most popular games of the moment– Fortnite.

With versions available on PC, iOS, Xbox and Playstation, and an Android version of the multi-player shooter game expected in the next month or so, its popularity only looks likely to grow.

Fortnite involves 100 players fighting each other in real time to be the only survivor and win that game, which lasts around 20 minutes.

The creators have rated the game 13+ due to the cartoon violence, although iOS and PEGI rate it as 12+. There are no age verification checks when downloading the game. You have to create an account with the developer Epic Games which can be done via Google+ or Facebook.

One of the main risks is the chat feature that allows anyone in the current game to talk to other users both during a game and in the “lobby” while you wait for the game to start.

While text chat is only available in the lobby it is possible to turn off the audio chat during a game by selecting the three lines in the top right of the screen, select the settings icon, choose the ‘Audio’ tab at the top of the screen and go to the ‘Voice Chat’ option. This must be done at the start of every game but children can play solo games where they cannot chat to anyone.

Another concern is that anyone can add you on the platform if they know your username which they can pick up during multi-player games. However, should someone become abusive or inappropriate there is a reporting process that users can follow through a form on the Fortnite website.

When reporting:

- After selecting the Product and Game Mode, select Report Player as the Issue Type. This will make sure these reports are routed to the correct team.

- Make sure to include the player(s) full in-game name, spelled as accurately as possible!

- If it looks like the player is using unusual or uncommon characters in their in-game name, screenshots are totally acceptable documentation.

- Speaking of screenshots: screenshots and video are incredibly useful for validation. If you captured screenshots or videos of the offense, attach them. If you have links to streaming video of bad behaviour, include them!

The game does have a code of conduct for players to follow and those not following the guidelines can be booted out of the game. But the focus appears to be on cheating rather than abuse.

It’s also really important to have regular chats with your children about their online lives, try and explore apps and games together and make sure they know they can talk to you about anything inappropriate that upsets them online.

Call our Online Safety Helpline for advice an all things online safety, including setting up parental controls, on 0808 800 5002. You can also book an appointment with an NSPCC-trained O2 Guru in store for support, whether you’re an O2 customer or not.

Net Aware is available as an app or at www.net-aware.org.uk

The year was 2005, when the people of Lindfield Village spent a day in the summer sunshine.

More than 100 stalls, as well as various entertainment was set up over the weekend in support of charity.

The day, organised to assist with the upkeep of the village hall, raised all together a total of £6,500.

Village Day committee member Brian Newcombe hailed the day a great success. He said: “It was a marvellous day and probably our most successful one so far. The weather was good and people enjoyed looking around the stalls.”

Stalls at the event included; plants, tombola, a coconut shy, bric-a-brac, helium balloons, pottery and ceramics.

There was also a puppy show, a bouncy castle, along with other child friendly rides.

Events held in the arena on the common consisted off: line-dancing, a tug-of-war, a marching band performance,the Sussex Supreme Twilers, and a children’s pet show.

The grand procession began a 1pm in Hickman’s Lane playing fields and prizes were awarded to the children for the best fancy dress costume.

The most topical float was Lindfield Bonfire Society entry D-Day, which later won the Bob Lacey trophy.