ALL OF OUR TOWN MUST BE PROTECTED

They agreed they would not let the issue drop until the entire town was protected from the type of disaster which struck five years ago.

And Sue Atkins told the meeting, organised by Lewes Flood Action (LFA) and supported by the Express, that she would not rest until at least 4,000 letters had been sent from the county town, calling on the Treasury to release enough cash for proper flood protection across the country.

She said there was a shortfall of about 700 million over 10 years to get the work done.

The meeting came hot on the heels of an announcement that a further 2.4 million had been released in principle to work on Cliffe's flood defences over the next five years.

But Duncan Macpherson (LFA) said: 'The 2.4 million is welcome but it is only a start, and it is not guaranteed.

'It is more than 7 million short of the Environment Agency's estimate of the total needed to raise walls for the whole of Lewes.

'Protecting the Cliffe in isolation will make the west bank of the Ouse even more vulnerable.

'Restoration of flood plains, reservoirs and additional channels may all be needed.'

Paul Watson, editor of the Express, said: 'I took over as editor at the end of June last year, but it did not take me long to realise this town is getting a raw deal.

'It's an injustice and it is right that the people of Lewes should be able to rely on their local newspaper to speak up for them.

'The message from this meeting must be that the fight goes on. We are not satisfied with what's on offer.'

County councillor Roger Thomas said he felt 'joined at the hip' with MP Norman Baker when it came to supporting an all-Party campaign for proper flood protection.

'Cliffe is only one piece of a national jigsaw,' he added.

In answer to a question from James Booth, Rupert Clubb of the Environment Agency confirmed that the Pells area and the Landport estate were outside of immediate plans for flood protection.

There was no clear economic case for improving defences for Landport, but the Agency was working with a company which was interested in developing the Phoenix industrial area by the Pells, with flood defences there being a prerequisite.

Mike Turner from the audience said it appeared to him that the planned work was good for one side of the river but not for the other.

Mr Baker agreed that a Lewes-wide flood scheme should have been prepared in the first place.

Another member of the audience felt Landport was being passed by and she wondered if that was because it was largely a council estate.

She was told that was not the case.

Tom Crossett, referring to possible Pells flood defences, said Lewes should be 'wary of developers bearing gifts'.

Brian Leaney asked whether a tidal barrier at Newhaven would help but was told it would cost too much, and would have done little to help in 2000 anyway.

Mr Clubb was also doubtful of the wisdom of building a flood plain south of Lewes, saying the increased volume of trapped water could damage Newhaven.