An unusually high tide caused by a storm surge had members of a rowing club dashing to rescue their cars.

The River Thames burst its banks in a couple of areas in Gravesend on Tuesday, flooding the children’s playground and sending Riva bar staff hurrying to close the flood barriers.

The Thames Barrier was closed, and again on Wednesday at 11.30am. It was expected to be reopened at 5pm.

Stephen Webb, chairman of the Gravesend Rowing Club, on Gordon Promenade, said he and other members were inside the clubhouse when they saw the ever-encroaching tide.

He said: “I dashed out to look and the water was up past the doors. We had to push it out of the water. The boathouse was also flooded, but nothing was damaged.”

Martin Garside, of the Port of London Authority in Gravesend, said such tides occur once or twice a year after a storm surge.Sandbags were placed around doors at the Three Daws pub, and people gathered at the river edge to see how high it would rise.

However, by 1.40pm the tide had started to recede.

The Environment Agency put out 12 flood warnings along the River Thames on Tuesday.

The Thames Barrier was closed at 10.30am to protect London.

It was the 110th time the barrier had been closed since it became operational in 1982. A gigantic puddle emerged in Southfleet Road, Swanscombe, around 100 metres long and half a metre deep.

Firefighters from Swanscombe and Larkfield were called at 4.20am after a car got stuck.

But by the time they arrived the car had already been towed out.

Kent Police cordoned off both ends of the road and advised motorists to avoid the area.