BAD weather made

it a bank holiday wash out with flooding and strong winds forcing many events to be abandoned across Sussex.

More than an inch of rain fell across the county overnight on Saturday, swelling rivers and streams already saturated following several days of wet weather.

Holidaymakers abandoned beaches in Brighton where sunbathers had basked in sweltering temperatures at the same time last year.

More rain has now fallen this month than any other May since 1983.

Argus weatherman Ken Woodhams said: "It's been the wettest Spring Bank Holiday since they began 30 years ago and Saturday was the wettest day in May since 1973 and the wettest day of the year so far.

"If it continues like this it will be the worst May on record."

In Uckfield, emergency measures were put in place when the River Uck overflowed, flooding the lower end of the High Street yesterday morning.

Sandbags

The Environment Agency issued a red warning and visitors were warned to keep away from the town centre.

Emergency services and council officials worked throughout the morning putting sandbags outside shop fronts in an effort to minimise the damage.

However, many traders were left with ruined stock and sodden floors which had to be pumped out.

A roadshow due to take place on Brighton seafront on Saturday had to be cancelled when organisers decided it was too dangerous to build the stage.

Lynda Mckivity-Ray, organiser of the Going to Sheltered Housing Roadshow, said: "The weather was appalling. It was teeming

with rain and we couldn't put up the control tower because of the wind.

"We let off 200 balloons and some of the housing associations put their advertising boards face down on the pavement, but eventually we decided it was ridiculous and decided to pack up."

At Plumpton, a Scout camp and Church of England festival were cancelled.

The decision to abandon the church camp was taken after 100 campers had to be evacuated to a building on the racecourse at about 5am.

Spokesman Barry Hill said: "Some were floating on their lilos when they woke up."

Bad weather also forced a last minute cancellation of the Heathfield Show for the first time in 17 years.

The plug was pulled on the annual agricultural event when organisers feared the rain-soaked ground would be too dangerous for both visitors and animals.

There was widespread flooding across the region, with Mid Sussex particularly affected.

On Saturday night, a torrent of water left some homes in Hickmans Lane, Lindfield, in a few feet of water.

Some residents were trapped in three ground-floor flats until the water subsided.

Fire crews from Turners Hill and Haywards Heath helped drain the water.

Leading fireman Mark Butler, of Haywards Heath, said: "I have never seen rain like it."

Part of the A23 south of Handcross was also flooded and it was a similar story in West Sussex with the A27.

The Environment Agency was forced to issue a red flood warning at the Cuckmere River at Hellingly to Sherman Bridge.

An amber warning was issued for the length of the River Ouse between Lewes and Lindfield and yellow warnings were issued at the River Tillingham at Rother and at Scrase Bridge stream near Haywards Heath.

Jo Warburton, spokeswoman for the Environment Agency, said: "When it's as bad as this there is little we can do except warn people of possible flooding."

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