A teenager who was left in a critical condition with horrific burns after an alleged attempt to steal cables from an electrical substation has been released from hospital.

The 18-year-old, from Epsom, suffered burns to his torso, back and arms, and was taken to hospital after a fire officer was flagged down near Littlehampton on June 7.

At the time Sussex police said they believed the injuries might relate to an attempt to steal copper from a substation - part of an electrical generation, transmission and distribution system - at Bilsham Road, in Yapton, near Bognor Regis last month.

The boy was taken to the special burns unit at Chelmsford Hospital in Essex, where he underwent surgery.

A Sussex police spokeswoman said today that the boy is "now out of hospital and recovering at home".

She added: "He has been spoken to by officers but has not been charged with any offences."

Following the incident a 21-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft of metal.  He has been bailed by police until later this month.