Forest Row: ‘Dramatic’ flooding hits residents and businesses

Weather in Sussex was “biblical”, residents said, when heavy rain and storms caused flooding on Thursday night.

The downpour followed a day of muggy conditions, and the highest temperature of the day, 30.2C, recorded at Wisley, Surrey.

Images in Surrey showed cars stuck in flood water, while one resident in East Sussex said she had to “give up” bailing water out of her home because it was coming in so quickly.

Annie Smith, from Forest Row, told BBC Radio Sussex she “thought the sky was breaking open” when the first storms hit and that her power went out overnight.

She added: “The rain started and then suddenly a big cry of alarm came up and we all had to start sweeping out and bailing out.

“It started to flood pretty dramatically, in about 10 minutes we had water from the front of the garage to the very back door and had to give up.”

An Environment Agency flood alert was in place for Forest Row, but has since been lifted and the water has now subsided.

There are still alerts in place in parts of Surrey and Kent, including around Lingfield and Edenbridge.

Holly Aston, who works at Java and Jazz Cafe in Forest Row, said the venue’s basement flooded.

She said there was probably about a metre of water in the basement, where the cafe stored drinks and stock, however she said most items were removed without being ruined.

Ms Aston added: “It was very heavy rain and thunderstorms.

“Down the road was completely flooded, the whole road was covered in water.”

Anthony Beard described the rain as “biblical” and said rain was “pouring down” the lane where he lived and into residents’ driveways.

While many animals may not like the storms, Mr Beard said: “My dogs like it, my dogs sit there watching it.

“The cat was terrified so we were more conscious of the cat.”