A wedding reception and beach hut were the latest victims of gale-force winds, heavy rain and flooding.

The heavens opened in Sussex on Sunday as five day's worth of rain drenched the county through to Monday morning.

The Met Office said nearly 12mm fell in just a 24 hour period around Brighton, causing flooding, water-logged roads and even chaos to a wedding reception.

A wedding party of up to 400 people were left inconvenienced after the rain triggered a fire alarm at the Holiday Inn in Kings Road, Hove, on Sunday night.

East Sussex Fire and Rescue said heavy rain built up on the hotel canopy and flooded the reception area.

But the manager of the hotel, who didn't give his name, said the party was kept in the lobby area, and “no one got wet and everyone's hair was kept in perfect condition”.

Meanwhile West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service was called to pump two pubs clear of water after a road flooded in Shoreham.

Crews were called at around 10.30pm when the cellar of the Red Lion Inn in Old Shoreham Road became submerged under water and started to breach the doorway of The Amsterdam.

Sussex Police also warned motorists of sitting water on the A27 and A259 seafront road in Eastbourne.

Gale-force winds caused further chaos when the wreckage of a blown-down beach hut was discovered on Brighton seafront, while Heene Road in Worthing was temporarily closed on Saturday night because of a fallen tree.

The Environment Agency issued a flood warning for the South East yesterday, with rising river levels and continuous overnight rainfall causing problems between Barcombe Mills and Newhaven Harbour.

Newhaven resident Diane Skinner captured this car succumbing to floodwater in the town's quay.

The Met Office said more rain was expected to fall overnight until this morning.

A spokeswoman said: “It won't be as heavy as Sunday night to Monday morning, but you can expect around a further 5mm.”