Families woke up to find their homes swimming in debris after Sussex struggled to cope with a night of flooding.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service responded to more than 200 flood-related calls after heavy rain battered the county.

River levels across Sussex are receding after the storms on Tuesday, although the Environment Agency had seven flood warnings and 27 flood watches still in force yesterday.

Firefighters used inflatables to rescue families from their homes in Hammerpot, near Angmering, on Tuesday night.

They were taken to the nearby Woodman Arms pub where regulars had to carry out a rescue of their own - pulling two men from a crumpled Honda Civic after it slid off the waterlogged A27 into a ditch.

The road was closed while emergency services attended the crash.

Landlord Brian Liston said: "Two lads in a car who aquaplaned into a ditch.

"They were very, very lucky because they could have hit either of two trees but slid between them.

"They were trapped in the car and two of our customers went over and quickly pulled them out.

"One of them had a bad cut on his head but they both went home with their parents."

Neighbours were trying to salvage their possessions after water flooded their homes.

Peter Gayler, 55, from Hammerpot, said it was the third time his home had been hit by a deluge in 30 years.

He said: "The main route for water in this area is through a 12-inch pipe under our garden and the A27.

"The water couldn't be taken away quickly enough so we had it in the house, up to our knees.

"When the fire brigade came it was waist deep outside so we had to be evacuated. We came back at breakfast by which time all the water had drained away but our carpets are saturated.

"It's nasty and uncomfortable but, at the end of the day, it will dry out and we have to get back on with our lives. We've lots to be thankful for."

James Wood, who lives next door, said he and his mother had spent hours moving their possessions upstairs on Tuesday as water flowed through their lounge and kitchen.

He said: "You have to work out what you are going to salvage.

"Fortunately our new kitchen suite hasn't been installed yet and is in the bedroom upstairs."

East Sussex Fire and Rescue took more than 40 flood-related calls on Tuesday.

The Environment Agency described the drama as "a wake up call".

In Robertsbridge, near Battle, flood defences completed in 2007 held water back from the Rother and the Darwell.

Environment Agency teams worked through the night to put up the system of temporary flood barriers and said that without them the town would almost certainly have flooded.

In Selsey, near Chichester, teams worked through the night to shore up the shingle along the beach at Medmerry as strong winds and large waves battered the coast.

At Lodsworth, near Petworth, a family had to be rescued from their car because water on the road had risen past the bottom of the door.

The drains in Littlehampton town centre could not cope with the heavy rainfall, causing sewage to back up through the pipes and on to the streets.

Wealden District Council staff delivered sandbags to homes and businesses under threat of flooding.

These included premises at Hellingly, Uckfield and Forest Row where more than 400 sandbags were delivered.

The Uck briefly burst its banks, spilling on to nearby fields, but Uckfield residents were spared the floods that wrecked homes in 2000.

Howard Davidson, regional director for the Environment Agency, said: "The worst is over now for most people and, despite the heavy rain, most places stayed dry.

"Every time we come this close to flooding, it serves as a wake up call that we all need to be prepared.

"Anyone can check whether they live in a flood risk area by visiting the Environment Agency website or phoning Floodline on 08459 881188."

andy.dickenson@theargus.co.uk

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