Planners in West Sussex have overwhelmingly rejected a bid by an energy firm to explore for oil and gas in the South Downs National Park.

Celtique Energie had submitted a planning application for a site near Fernhurst, West Sussex, to drill a temporary vertical well to test for oil and gas.

The controversial plan, which attracted more than 5,500 objections, could also have led to the drilling of a horizontal well extending out from it.