A busy hospital accident and emergency department has been closed after flooding believed to be caused by a faulty air conditioner.

The unit at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton is expected to stay closed for at least another two hours while maintenance workers and fire crews work to clear the area.

The minor injuries section of the department has not been affected and is still accepting walk-in patients.

Patients already in A&E at the time of the incident have been moved to other unaffected areas of the department.

No other part of the hospital is affected.

Ambulances are being diverted to other hospitals including the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath while major trauma cases are being sent to Southampton General Hospital.

One patient who arrived at the department told The Argus: “I was told by staff there was an incident and they advised me to go and see my GP.”