Emergency workers are to stage a summit to plan for mass evacuations in the event of a flood.

Uckfield suffered wide scale inundations in 2000 and town councillors are to work with other agencies to ensure the devastation is never repeated.

The Uckfield Flood Plan Review and Exercise will review the contingencies which have failed in the past and make preparations for evacuation, shelter and look at who will give evacuees refreshments.

Louise Eastwood, the mayor of Uckfield, said: "I think these meetings are vital for any emergencies that may happen in the town. It's good all the emergency services, the three-tier council and the Environment Agency work in unison to protect the people of Uckfield. It means everyone's working together so we all know what we're doing if the inevitable happens."

An exercise of this scale has not been held in Uckfield for some time. The meeting is designed to test the flood plans in the form of a "table top" exercise, which means the residents of Uckfield will not be involved.

Claire Dowling, chairwoman of the Uck Valley Forum, said: "We'll be doing a full runthrough to see if the emergency plan we have on paper will work in practice.

"Plans are always being updated on paper but we want to give the best we can offer to businesses and residents of Uckfield.

An emergency plan is always live and Uckfield will really benefit from this as will the whole Wealden area should there be a flood in the district.

"Rest centres have to be in place should people's homes and properties be flooded."

The review involves the Environment Agency, East Sussex Fire and Rescue, Sussex Police and the South East Coast Ambulance Trust.

Mark O'Brien, from East Sussex Fire and Rescue, said: "From our point of view opportunities such as these to test, refine and develop our response on a multi-agency basis are critical to ensure the community receives the best possible service before, during and after any significant flooding event.

"We use this approach for all the flood plans, including Uckfield, Lewes and Pevensey and adjust them accordingly."

During the exercise representatives from the agencies split into syndicates and those acting as facilitators or exercise directors will give out information as if a real incident was happening.

Each syndicate has to work using the flood plan and test to see if it is still fit for purpose.

In July last year flash floods brought an unwelcome reminder to the residents of Uckfield when the River Uck burst its banks on October 12, 2000.

The town is still waiting for flood defences.

Do you think enough is being done to protect Uckfield residents?