Freezing temperatures have caused a number of problems in Sussex this weekend.

Temperatures in Shoreham peaked at 1.6C at 3pm yesterday, and the Met Office forecast lows of -3C overnight.

Inland, at Herstmonceux, near Hailsham, readings were forecast to drop to -4C by 3am today, after peaking at 1.8C yesterday afternoon.

Today bosses at Plumpton Racecourse have announced that they have had to abandon the race meeting tomorrow due to the course being frozen.

Chief executive Claire Sheppard said: “We are hugely disappointed that racing isn’t taking place. We have had two severe frosts of -11C on Friday night and -10C last night, and there won’t be sufficient time before racing tomorrow for the course to thaw.”

Racegoers who had pre-purchased tickets online will get a full refund.

Plumpton’s next scheduled race day is Monday February 27.

The intense cold has caused water pipes to burst around the county.

At Park Croft in Polegate, flooding from a burst water main froze, turned the street into what firefighters described as a "skating rink".

Burst pipes were reported to have flooded homes in Worthing, Saltdean and Horsham.

Icy patches on the roads were said to have caused car accidents yesterday morning.

Three crashes were reported in little over an hour at Wadhurst, Heathfield and Midhurst.

Police said it was too early to confirm whether cold weather had played a part.

At Pells Pond in Lewes, several concerned onlookers have reported a swan apparently frozen into the water.

But wildlife volunteers say the creature is not in distress and are appealing for locals not to raise the alarm again.

The East Sussex Wildlife Rescue and Ambulance Service has been called out 27 times since Wednesday. Each call-out is estimated to cost £65.

The charity's founder, Trevor Weeks said: "I have been out numerous times as well as several of my colleagues and every time we have attended the swan has not been stuck.

”Most calls have been reporting the swan to have a leg stuck in the ice.

“When you ask people what they are seeing which makes them think the swan is stuck in the ice, they normally say they can only see one leg and that the other leg must be trapped in the ice, as the swan is not moving.

"The leg is actually tucked up under their feathers to keep warm."

He urged people not to throw food to the swan, because it could stress it and encourage other birds to 'dive-bomb' the pond.

He said: "In over 25 years of undertaking wildlife rescue work, I have never come across a swan properly stuck in ice, it very rarely happens, people misunderstand what is happening and why the swans are not moving.

"We have no option but to respond to these calls, it is nice to see so many people being so concerned for the swan, but it is turning into a cry wolf situation, we respond because we would feel so guilty if the rare event actually happened and the swan did develop problems."

To support the charity, visit www.wildlifeambulance.org, or post a donation payable to to “East Sussex WRAS” to Po Box 2148, Seaford, East Sussex, BN25 9DE.

Have you been affected by the big freeze?

Send your news and pictures of the big freeze to ben.parsons@theargus.co.uk or text images to 80360, starting your message with SUPIC and including your name, location and details of the picture.