Looters have taken advantage of the flood chaos in Sussex by breaking into homes, shops and a church.

With police at full stretch coping with the disaster, which has devastated parts of Lewes and Uckfield, burglars used the opportunity to go on a crime spree.

Homes in Lewes' Lamport Estate and Cliffe area were particularly affected by the break-ins.

A police spokesman said: "It is incredible that people are taking advantage of people's misery to do this sort of thing and we have stepped up patrols accordingly."

A guitar worth more than £1,000 was stolen after thieves broke into a shop in Mount Pleasant, Lewes, early on Saturday.

Raiders also broke into the St John Sub Castro Church in the town and ransacked it.

The RSPCA is considering prosecuting several Lewes farmers for animal cruelty after cattle drowned during the floods.

Inspectors from the Horsham-based charity rescued more than 100 cattle from fields off Landport Road.

Chief Inspector Carroll Lamport said: "We had to lasso the cattle one by one and pull them on to the boat.

"It was an exhausting process and by the time I finished my arms were numb.

"It was heartbreaking to hear the sound of the cattle mooing and not know if we would be able to get to them."

A spokesman said the charity was still assessing the number of animals that died.

She said prosecutions were being considered against farmers who had left animals on low ground despite flood warnings.

A group of flood damage experts predicts up to 20 per cent of businesses affected by the disaster could go bust within six months.

Document SOS has warned that financial records and legal documents destroyed in the disaster could cost businesses across Britain more than £1.5 billion.

A spokeswoman said: "Stock and furniture are relatively easy to replace but the loss of paperwork can have a serious impact on profit.

"The taxman, for example, will not accept flooding, however serious, as an excuse for a late VAT return."

Rail services returned to normal in Sussex today but operators were keeping a wary eye on the weather.

Trains between Haywards Heath and Brighton were delayed by up to an hour this morning due to flooding in Clayton Tunnel but services returned to normal by mid morning.

Workmen made emergency repairs at the weekend to track at Cooksbridge, near Lewes, and Etchingham, near Hastings, where ballast under rails had been washed away.

Lewes station, where flood water almost reached platforms last week, was back to normal.

A Connex spokesman said: "It is raining heavily again today but so far everything is going to plan."