Thousands of letters demanding protection from floods have been handed in to Downing Street by an MP.

Norman Baker, MP for Lewes, and the Lewes Flood Action group handed the letters to Chancellor Gordon Brown yesterday in a bid to secure more money from the Government.

More than 2,000 letters were handed over by Mr Baker, who attended along with representatives from Lewes Flood Action, Lewes District Council, Lewes Town Council and East Sussex County Council.

People in Lewes are calling for funding for stronger defences following the floods in 2000, which left large parts of the town centre under water.

A coach-load of residents protested with banners outside Number 10 in a bid to make their voices heard.

Mr Baker said there was a predicted £700 million shortfall in funding for sea defences nationally. He is calling for a meeting with Mr Brown to demand more cash.

He said: "We went up to Downing Street and I think we got the message across. I had more than 2,000 letters to hand in. I think it's always more impressive to hand in individually signed letters rather than a petition.

"I want the Government to sit up and take notice. This was a good time to hand the letters in because there is a three-year spending review coming up. I have a meeting next week with Treasury Minister John Healey, when I intend to follow this up.

"The floods of Lewes in 2000 were terrible and affected the whole town. I thought the Government had understood this but six or seven years on we are still waiting for a comprehensive scheme to come in.

"Some work has been done already but it is not enough and more needs to be done."