Several vehicles including a seven tonne truck are said to have become stranded due to a “torrent of water” from an overflowing river.

Volunteer-run Alfriston Emergency Group has been working on roads surrounding the village all day.

It has been encouraging people not to risk driving through the flood water which is more than three feet deep after the Cuckmere River unleashed the torrent of water over its banks.

Steve Woodgate, chairman of the group, told The Argus: “The banks burst in front of me, it was amazing to see but it’s deadly. All of a sudden water just appears over the top of this bank.

The Argus: A 'torrent of water' came over the river bank which had flooded the roadA 'torrent of water' came over the river bank which had flooded the road (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

“We’re telling people ‘it’s flooded further up, turn back’. As I was doing that I looked behind me and saw a torrent of water up into the car park. That is when I realised it was really going to be bad.

“One car is still stranded in the car park with water almost over its wheels.”

Dozens of roads across Sussex have become flooded since torrential rainfall last night.

A yellow weather warning for rainfall was issued from 5pm yesterday until 6am this morning.

Up to 50mm of rainfall hit some parts of the county, taking the total rainfall for the month to more than 180mm. The average for November is around 110mm.

Steve added: “I think around a dozen vehicles have ignored the advice and gone through the water.

The Argus: A car stranded in the car park in AlfristonA car stranded in the car park in Alfriston (Image: Sussex News and Pictures)

"Some of them got through, a notable one that didn’t was a seven and a half tonne truck.

“That’s dead in the water out of sight from me. It’s being recovered by members from the emergency group and someone from a local farm.

“Seven or eight vehicles have become stranded today.”

Around 20 vehicles were stranded on the A27 last night due to flooding on the carriageway near Worthing.

A houseboat sank in the River Ouse at Lewes as it was hit by a torrent of water.

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