Sussex was today warned to expect floods on a scale not witnessed since the catastrophic events of 2000.

In many parts of the county people were warned that while water levels appeared to be falling slightly it may just be a lull and they should be prepared for the worst.

Fields across the county are saturated and may not get a chance to drain off as weather forecasters predict more heavy rain before the weekend, threatening a repeat of the devastating floods that swamped thousands of homes and businesses across the county two years ago.

The Environment Agency said the total amount of rainfall over the South-East in the past few days had almost reached that of October 2000.

Heavy rain has fallen on areas already waterlogged and on rivers already close to bursting their banks.

Ray Kemp, Environment Agency spokesman for the South-East, said: "This is our worst nightmare.

"It is the worst case scenario coming true.

"All our alarms warning of imminent flooding are going off across the region.

"I am afraid flooding of homes is now virtually inevitable."

Mr Kemp said the water table was now so high that underground springs were in danger of surfacing.

He said things may not have changed a great deal yesterday but today and tomorrow would be critical.

"We are very worried about villages like Yalding, in Kent, and towns like Uckfield and Lewes.

"Basically the whole of the South-East is now on flood warning."

Many people in areas worst hit by the October 2000 floods have been taking whatever precautions they can.

In the Malling area on the northern outskirts of Lewes, badly hit by the floods of 2000, resident Peter Atkins said: "We have flood doors that we got after the last flood and we have put those up on all our external doors.

"Because of what happened two years ago, people in the town are very wary and understandably anxious."

Work on a major flood defence scheme in Lewes is due to begin later this year, although the £6 million project is already a year behind schedule.

While there was little sense of panic in the streets of Lewes, some sandbags were already appearing, including outside the Help the Aged shop in Cliffe High Street. Staff at the Thresher Wine Shop, which is further along the same road, were moving stock upstairs as a precaution.

Firefighters were called to isolated flooding across Sussex, including the Flying Fish pub in Newhaven, which was swamped by heavy rainfall.

In Pulborough, the A29 was closed yesterday after river water washed over it.

More than an inch of rain fell in the county between Tuesday night and yesterday afternoon.

The Environment Agency's flood warning website was brought down, possibly by the volume of visitors.

A spokesman said: "We've been having problems with people unable to get local updates on-line."

Flood warnings:

East Sussex: Cuckmere River at Hellingly, River Ouse from Isfield to Barcombe.

West Sussex: River Arun from Billingshurst to upstream of Pulborough.

Floodwatch:

East Sussex: Coombe Haven, Crowhurst, Cuckmere River from Alfriston to Excoat Bridge and from Hellingly to Shermans Bridge, River Ems, River Ouse from Lindfield to Isfield, River Uck, River Brede between Sedlescombe and Rye, River Rother between Mayfield and Newendean, River Tillingham between Beckley Furnace and Rye, Winterbourne stream at Lewes.