Floods which brought havoc to Sussex almost put paid to a Channel ferry crossing too.

Debris carried to sea by overflowing rivers became entangled in the high-speed Seacat's jets as it left Newhaven harbour for Dieppe.

The captain of the craft managed to clear the problem by reversing several times, delaying the service by half an hour.

Passengers were then given an extra 30 minutes in Dieppe as compensation.

Passenger Stuart Bower, 50, from Coldean, Brighton, said: "The company dealt with the situation very professionally.

"It could have been a real problem but the captain kept us informed and even made a joke of it, saying it was all down to it being Friday the 13th!"