The Prime Minister has promised residents hit by floods that money will be on its way soon.

Tony Blair made the promise to Rupert Thornely-Taylor, chairman of Wealden District Council, during a reception at Downing Street on Monday.

It was held to thank heroes of the floods which swept through Sussex and other parts of Britain in October, causing widespread devastation.

More than 200 people were invited to hear the Prime Minister thank them personally for their actions.

He also pledged not to forget the plight of flood-prone towns and villages across the country but to work for long-term solutions.

Coun Thornely-Taylor asked Mr Blair when financial assistance would be forthcoming for places such as Uckfield, where homes and businesses were destroyed by the floods.

Coun Thornely-Taylor said: "All we were told was that an announcement was coming.

"He wouldn't say what it was, but he turned to Elliot Morley, the flood minister, who said the money would be coming in the rate support grant.

"Fingers crossed, I think there should be something worth waiting for."

Mr Morley, who visited Uckfield twice during the floods, also reassured businesses that any company having trouble getting insurance cover should contact him and he would put pressure on insurers through the Association of British Insurers.

Mr Blair said ordinary civilians around the country had joined the emergency services in battling the waters.

He said: "The extraordinary thing that came out of it was the degree of partnership working and team working, without which this situation would have been an awful lot worse."