A MAN survived an 80ft cliff fall after his car left the road and plunged into the sea.

The driver was able to get out of the vehicle and make his way to the rocks following the incident in Roedean, near Brighton, which happened shortly after midnight, a spokesman for the Newhaven Coastguard said.

He said the car had "miraculously" managed to clear the undercliff promenade after leaving the A259, landing in the water.

Newhaven Coastguard sent a cliff technician down a ladder from the promenade to the beach to join firefighters and paramedics who were already with the man.

Chief Superintendent Nev Kemp tweeted after the incident: "Incredibly a man escaped without serious injury after his car went over the cliff near Roedean just after midnight and ended up in the sea."