Flood Warning Issued for Hellingly and Horsebridge Along Cuckmere and Bull Rivers

Alert Details

The Environment Agency has issued a Flood Warning (Severity Level 2) for Hellingly and Horsebridge on the Cuckmere and Bull Rivers. The alert was raised early Thursday morning following significant rainfall in the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers specific geographic regions within East Sussex, including:

• Properties on Mill Lane, Hellingly
• Grove Hill near Grovebridge Farm
• Hammer Lane near Cowbeech
• Station Road, Church Lane, and Church Road in Hellingly
• Surrounding roads and land in the Solent and South Downs area

What You Should Do

Residents are urged to prioritize safety and avoid putting themselves or others at risk. Do not attempt to travel through flooded areas. Specifically, avoid Mill Road and Church Road, which are prone to flooding.

Expected Conditions

High river levels are the primary hazard, triggered by approximately 25mm of rain that fell on Wednesday evening. While only a small amount of additional rain is forecast for the remainder of Thursday, river levels remain high enough to cause property flooding.

Timeline

Flooding is expected to begin around 04:00 on February 19, 2026. Additional impacts to Station Road and Church Lane are anticipated starting at 06:00. River levels and the overall flood risk are expected to begin reducing throughout Thursday evening. The Environment Agency will provide an update by 8:00 PM on February 19, 2026.