Flood warnings have been issued upstream of Leatherhead along the River Mole, prompting fears among flood victims.

After overnight rain, flood warnings are in place for Mickleham, Dorking, Gatwick, Horley and Sidlow as the level of the River Mole rises. More heavy rain is forecast tonight.

Despite no warning for Leatherhead, by 2.30pm the river level had reached 2.52 metres, above the 2.4 metre level when flooding becomes possible.

Peter Ashdown, chairman of Leatherhead Football Club, whose Fetcham Grove ground was badly flooded over Christmas, said there was renewed fear.

Mr Ashdown said: “We have put sandbags up. We have just got to pray that it does not come to fruition. We have got to hope there is no more damage.

“It’s always yesterday’s rain that comes downstream.”

Flood victim Nik Cookson, who is forming the River Mole Action Group, said: “The water is rising. I hope it doesn’t rise too much.

“I hope that nobody else gets flooded, but my situation can’t get any worse. For other poor people I hope it doesn’t get to the levels that it did before. I would be amazed if it did.”

Mr Cookson said the contents of Gatwick airport’s holding ponds must not be dumped into the Mole and sluice gates further down should be opened in a timely manner.

Gatwick airport has come under fire for how it controlled its balancing ponds during the flooding over the festive period. 

Mr Cookson's home in Thorncroft Drive, Leatherhead, was among the properties flooded on Christmas Eve. 

The Gatwick Stream, where river levels are also rising rapidly, meets the River Mole south of Horley.

A flood alert for the River Mole said: “River levels are rising in response to overnight rainfall, in particular in the Sidlow area.

“Flooding of low lying land and roads is likely but property flooding is not currently expected. The rivers are currently very sensitive to rainfall and are responding more than usual.

“The weather forecast is for further bands of rain throughout today which may cause a further rise in river levels.”

Ministers have been forced to backtrack on claims that the flood defence spending by the Tory-led coalition was higher than under previous governments.

It has been admitted there were “some minor inconsistencies” in figures provided earlier.