Lightning has struck two homes in Ashford today.

Fire crews were called to Singleton Road, in Great Chart, following a small house fire at 11.55am.

The blaze was sparked after the roof of the two-storey property was hit by a bolt of lightning.

The homeowners were in at the time but no injuries have been reported.

The fire has since been put out.

Neighbours have now spoken of the moment the lightning struck.

Tracey Judd lives opposite the house that was hit and said she heard "one almighty crash and a few bangs".

She adds: "It scared the hell out of us. Our electric went off for a bit."

Shortly after she saw the fire crews arrive in the street.

Another neighbour, called Michelle, was at a nearby hairdresser, Brown's of Great Chart, when the bolt hit.

She said: "We saw a a huge bolt come down. It was enormous. We joked that it might have hit the hairdresser's car.

"It was like a scene from a film. It was really bright and bold." - Libby Sturgess

"Then when I got home I saw the fire engines near my house.

"It was really scary. Everyone in the hairdresser's jumped."

Libby Sturgess, a hairdressing apprentice at Brown's, said: "It was like a scene from a film. It was really bright and bold. We heard a bang but wasn't sure if it had hit anything.

"One woman lives close by and was worried it had hit her house."

The lights also went out in St Mary's Church, in Great Chart, and some landlines are still not working.

Fire crews from Ashford were also called to Prospect Way, in Brabourne Lees, just before midday today after the ridge of the roof of a home was hit by lightning.

Although there was no apparent fire, crews used a thermal imaging camera to check the loft space of the property.

The two homes were struck during a massive storm that hit Kent today, with flash floods being reported across the county.

Seven properties have flooded in New Romney, and the High Street has been left under several inches of water.