River Adur reaches highest level in years in Upper Beeding: “It was a close call”

High street shops in Upper Beeding had sandbags at the ready after water levels in the River Adur reached their highest point in decades.
The flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue PlautzThe flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue Plautz
The flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue Plautz

Storm Ciara brought heavy rain to the area on Sunday and by noon on Monday, the murky river water was beginning to encroach upon the village.

Sue Plautz, who owns Beeding Newsagency in the high street, said she had never seen the water level so high.

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“Apparently it has been before, but not for quite a long time. I’ve been here 25 years and I don’t remember,” she said.

The flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue PlautzThe flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue Plautz
The flooding in Upper Beeding. Photo by Sue Plautz

She praised members of Bramber Parish Council, who came round to all the shops along the high street to provide them with sandbags, should they need them.

“There was a flood warning on the river, they supplied all the people in the high street and the other side with sandbags,” she said. “Thankfully we didn’t need them.”

However she added: “It was a close call.”

Photos taken by Sue show the river bursting its banks at some points.

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“The footpath on the other side, that was completely underwater,” she said.

By Tuesday afternoon there were no longer any flood warnings in place for the village.

But Sue said of the river: “It hasn’t properly gone down at all. It’s down to a respectable level, but it hasn’t gone down to normal.”

Elsewhere, the impact of Storm Ciara saw part of a balcony collapse at a Shoreham house – read more here.

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