A beer which was abandoned in recent floods is now on sale to boost an appeal's coffers.

The fermenting beer was left when Harveys Brewery in Lewes was flooded in October.

Now Ouse Booze is going on sale to boost the Lewes Flood Appeal.

The name was originally a joke reference because the standard Harveys beer was in the process of production when the River Ouse burst its banks on October 12.

The disaster caused millions of pounds worth of damage to the town which is still recovering.

Staff were forced to abandon the riverside brewery and the beer was left fermenting on the top floor for nine days while floods raged below.

The disaster meant the brewery's daily production of beers ground to a halt.

However, when they returned to the partly produced beer, they found a drinkable base for a different tasting drink.

It was different because the alcohol content was higher and it had a sharper taste than the usual Harveys bitter.

Instead of abandoning the production, it was decided to make the base into a one-off special brew.

There was enough for 40,000 bottles which have now gone on sale and are selling well.

Miles Jenner, chief brewer and joint managing director of Harveys, said: "We initially jokingly referred to this brew as Ouse Booze, intending to give it a more sophisticated name.

"However, so many people kept asking us when the Ouse Booze would be available we decided to stick with that name."

The beer was bottled by Shepherd Neame and is on sale at the Harveys Shop, in Cliffe High Street, where it sells for £1.35 a bottle and has a 6.4 per cent alcohol content.

All profits will go to the appeal which was set up to help those affected by the flood devastation and has raised more than £150,000.

The bottles have a picture on the front taken by Harveys' bottling supervisor Steve Crowhurst, which show the brewery during the floods.

The label also contains a potted history of how Ouse Booze was produced and praises staff who worked hard to get the brewery back into production again so quickly.