Two adults have been arrested after a child was found with them on the beach in Brighton in the early hours of this morning (Saturday 10 August).
They were under the Palace Pier during a storm when they were found by volunteers from the Brighton Beach Patrol at about 2am.
The two people who were arrested were held on suspicion of neglecting a child and remained in custody at lunchtime.
Sussex Police said: “A nine-year-old boy is in police protection following an incident in Brighton in the early hours of this morning.
“A 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, both from London, have been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and remain in custody at this stage.
“The investigation is ongoing and for this reason we would urge members of the public not to speculate around the circumstances.”
The Children Act allows police to use their power of protection if they have “reasonable cause to believe that a child would otherwise be likely to suffer significant harm”.
A Met Office severe weather warning remains in place, with wind speeds again expected to gust at up to 50mph.