A prankster released the handbrake on a broken down bus and caused the vehicle to roll down a hill and collide with a traffic island.

The bus had broken down and was parked in Brighton Road near the junction with Cavendish Road on Saturday, May 24, at 3am.

While it was parked, someone got into the cab of the stricken bus and released the handbrake, causing it to roll down the slope for about 50m before it collided with a traffic island and came to rest against a wall, causing minor damage.

Police are investigating the incident and are appealing for anyone who knows what happened to get in touch.

Call police on 101 or the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.