Lib Dems have stepped up calls for a National Flood Task Force to help protect towns like Lewes and Uckfield.

Heavy downpours led to flood warnings being put in place last week -

at the height of summer.

Now the Lib Dems insist a single body must be formed to tackle the problems of flood defences and management.

Environment spokesman Andrew George said it is essential to end the chaos over which organisation is in charge and prevent "even more devastating damage" to Sussex.

The force would be asked to create an "integrated flood management plan."

This would include planning measures to control building on flood plains and improve drainage in urban and rural areas.

It would also be charged with setting up a national insurance scheme.

The Lib Dems first called for the task force at last year's party conference but one has yet to be set up by the Government.

The Tories also called for the Government to take a greater role in flood prevention to avoid a repeat of the devastation in autumn 2000 when homes and businesses in Lewes and Uckfield were deluged with water.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said Chancellor Gordon Brown had just allocated an extra £150 million to be spend on flood defence work over the next three years.

A spokesman said it is carrying out a review of how flood defence schemes are funded and monitored and expects to publish results this autumn.