Residents cautioned as flood alerts issued for some Sussex rivers

The flood alerts were issued for the Upper Arun area, near Horsham, and the Western Rother area, near Selham and Fittleworth earlier this morning.

A spokesperson for the government’s flood service, which is responsible for the warnings, said the River Arun is high, but falling near Pallingham Lane, but made clear that levels have already fallen near Horsham.

"Rain is forecast Sunday afternoon, and through the early hours of Monday. From 10:00 on Monday 24/02/2025, flooding could affect gardens of Tanbridge Park and Blackbridge Court, fields behind Arunside, and playground of Arunside School,” the warning says.

From 2pm tomorrow, it adds, “flood water will affect isolated mill properties between Broadbridge Heath and Pallingham Quay, including properties at Pallingham Lock and the A272 Newbridge road near Billingshurst.”

The river is expected to fall by 5pm tomorrow near Horsham, returning to a normal level by Tuesday afternoon. “Please install flood protection products in Wanford, if you have them. Our automatic sluice at Provender Mill is operating to reduce flood risk in Horsham,” the flood alert says.

Water levels on the Western Rother near Selham and Fittleworth, meanwhile, are falling or about to fall, but rain is forecast for later this afternoon and for the early hours of tomorrow morning (February 24). The service has warned that fields, rural roads, and gardens on Station Road Liss and Mill Lane and Old Mill Lane could be affected by flooding from 2am. From 6am, flooding could also affect gardens in Iping, Stedham, and Midhurst, and, from 12pm flood water will approach properties near Lodsbridge, near Selham.

On top of this, flooding could affect properties near Fittleworth and Fittleworth Mill as late as 10pm tomorrow (February 24), even though the river is expected to begin to fall in the area by 6pm. In Liss, river levels are expected to fall by approximately 3pm. “Early actions to reduce potential impacts at Lodsbridge and Fittleworth are encouraged,” the flood service has said.