Flood warnings in place after heavy rainfall

An aerial view showing a car driving through a flooded road, with water spraying out either side of it. Around the road there are red brick houses with flooded gardens and a flooded field can also been seen.Image source, Dan Jessup
Image caption,

Flood alerts have been issued across the South East

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Several flood warnings are currently in place across East Sussex after heavy rainfall throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.

Up to 20mm of rain - an average week's rainfall - fell in some places in only one hour.

Some villages on the Cuckmere River - including Alfriston, Hellingly and Horsebridge - are being warned that more flooding is expected on Wednesday.

Water levels in the river should return to normal by Wednesday evening, the Environment Agency (EA) said.

Image source, Dan Jessup
Image caption,

Up to 20mm of rain fell in some places in only one hour

The EA has also issued flood alerts for the Upper Mole River around Gatwick Airport, The River Uck at Buxted and Powdermill Stream at Crowhurst.

In the village of Hellingly, BBC Radio Sussex's George Carden said that Mill Lane was "completely flooded".

He said: "Some houses in the village have been cut off and are inaccessible."

Local resident Colin Tourle, who has lived in Hellingly for 50 years, said that no flood water had come into his house but he was cut off.

He told BBC Radio Sussex: "The water came up so quick. Luckily it is going down quite quickly so we can't complain - we have had much worse floods in the past."

Flood alerts have also been issued in Kent, in the Yalding, Hadlow and East Peckham areas, and in Surrey, including Virginia Water, Thorpe Green and Chertsey.

Media caption,

Overnight rain has been causing concern on the banks of the River Cuckmere

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