A veterinary practice has reopened more than a year after floods led to a full-scale pet rescue.

Staff held an open day for loyal customers and their pets to celebrate the completion of building work at the Cliffe Veterinary Group, in Cliffe High Street, Lewes.

Senior partner John Daykin said water from the River Ouse caused damage costing £80,000 to the building and a further £70,000 in lost equipment in October last year.

He recalled: "It was in the afternoon when the water started coming in. By 2pm, we had evacuated all but a skeleton staff.

"By 4.30pm, an RNLI inflatable came and took three staff with six cats in baskets and a post-op labrador. It was very Noah's Ark.

"There was about 5ft of water at the back of the building and more by the front door.

"The river was running quite fast from the back through to the front."

The operating theatre, waiting room and several consulting rooms were all badly damaged.

Ten days after the waters subsided, staff were allowed back to work in two rooms. But their problems were not yet over.

Mr Daykin said: "In January, we had to move out of the building again and go into temporary cabins in the car park until June for the builders to work.

"They took up all the floors and the plaster and there was also storm damage to the roof."

Now the practice's 35 staff, including 11 vets, are back to work as usual.

Mr Daykin said the open day on Saturday was a huge success and more than 200 people came through the doors for a tour of the building and to see demonstrations.

He said: "We had the open day to celebrate the fact that we came through it and are better than before.

"We wanted to say thank you to our clients as well.

"The staff had to work under difficult conditions for nine months, but they were faultless in all their efforts."

Lewes MP Norman Baker cut the ribbon to mark the reopening of the building.