A COUNCIL meeting was abandoned after rain came pouring through the ceiling at Hove Town Hall.

Councillors were in the middle of debating a planning application when the deluge broke through the wooden ceiling of the council chamber.

They rushed to unplug electronics as water poured onto electrical sockets embedded in the chamber floor.

A short video shows how water started cascading through the ceiling just before 6.10pm on Wednesday 8 June.

It happened around four hours into a meeting of the planning committee.

Councillor Leo Littman, who was chairing the meeting, said it would have to be abandoned.

The Argus: Rain came through into the council chamber in the middle of a meetingRain came through into the council chamber in the middle of a meeting

The rain left puddles on the floor as council officers attempted to catch as much as they could in recycling bins.

Water came through the ceiling for three minutes before it eased to a drip.

The Argus: Recycling bins were used to collect falling waterRecycling bins were used to collect falling water

Council officers confirmed the issue had occurred during extremely heavy rain in the past.

The incident occurred as councillors debated office space company Platform 9’s proposals to install decking at the front of the town hall.

The Platform 9 decision and the remaining two items of the committee’s business will be added to the July planning agenda.