Women escape car as water rises

This happened on Monday at midday following torrential rain.

The female driver and her passenger were able to get out of the car but the water level continued to rise rapidly '“ just half-an-hour later the red Rover was 3.5 ft submerged, with only 1.5ft of it free of the water.

Sussex Police sealed offthe notorious flood pointbeneath the Westcourt Drive railway bridge near the junction withCooden Drive.

Nearby resident Robert Schifreen commented: "This isn't the first time that I've seen cars stuck in the floods under the bridge.

"It seems to fill up very quickly during heavy rain. There's a drain there, but I guess it simply can't cope with such a deluge."

Elizabeth Sweetman, who lives at South Cliff, said: "I think it has flooded here before, but this has happened very quickly. It is quite deep."

Sgt Trish Reeves Fowkes of the Neighbourhood Police team said on Monday: "This is an ongoing problem.

"At least 10 years ago East Sussex Highways department erected a measure board to show people driving from either direction what the height of the water is.

"It is just a shame people don't pay attention to it '“ it makes me angry."

She added: "We are receiving quite a few calls about flooding today '“ in Little Common Road, Peartree Lane, Turkey Road, and Crowhurst Lane."