A seaside ice cream parlour's freezers have been destroyed and stock ruined for the second time after "foul-smelling" water poured into its basement amid torrential downpours.

Homes and business owners in Herne Bay watched helplessly as the murky liquid flooded their properties overnight as more than 41mm of rain fell in the space of 24 hours.

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Southern Water bosses say the level of rainfall could overwhelm any system, but that those in Herne Bay "are operating properly".

Tom Cain, one of the owners of Scoops, has been working since the early hours to clear the water - which flowed in from a manhole - from his branch in Central Parade.

"I've been down here since about 3.30am, trying to pump water out that's come through a manhole at the back of the shop," the businessman told KentOnline.

"We've lost five chest freezers, stock, coffee cups and cones.

"It stinks of sewage down there, we'll have to dehumidify and sterilise the room and we'll be closed for the next couple days.

"I wouldn't like to put on a price on it, but it's not a quick, cheap fix."

This is the second time in 15 months that the popular ice cream shop has been flooded.

The dessert joint was forced to fork out £10,000 after its storage area was submerged by sewage last August during a “once-every-150-years” storm.

Despite vowing in the days following the incident to ensure "those affected will not be left out of pocket”, Southern Water later revealed it would not foot the business' clean-up bill.

Insurers QBE absolved the firm of any blame, stating it had not “identified any evidence of negligence or breach of duty” as the downpours last year were "a truly exceptional event".

"We were told last time it was a once-in-150-year flood, but a year later and here we are in the same position," Mr Cain added.

"The last time this happened we lost out on 10 grand."

Central Parade residents Tony King and Frances Spanner, who live next to Scoops, have also been forced to clean up their flat for the second time in little more than a year.

The couple say they are now “stuck in limbo” following the incident this morning.

INSIDE COUPLE'S HOME DEVASTATED BY FLOODING

“It’s horrible," Mr King said.

"It’s the last thing we wanted before Christmas. We haven’t got anywhere to go and we don’t know what’s going on.

“I had to ring work and tell them we can’t come in, we’ve got no shoes or anything, it’s ridiculous.

“It’s taken us all this time to recover after the last flood. We were at least 10 grand out of pocket and we’ve maxed out on our credit cards to try and get ourselves back to normal.

“We’re stuck in limbo at the moment.”

Videos taken by the pair show them walking around their basement flat in brown water that went up to their ankles.

Others living in Mortimer Street, Richmond Street and High Street have also taken to social media to reveal they have been impacted by the floods.

Southern Water officials say the company's pumping station at the King's Hall had been operating at "maximum capacity for more than 24 hours" during the poor weather.

They add that clean-up crews and drying equipment are currently being "mobilised".

“We know how distressing flooding can be and our teams are currently knocking on doors to identify householders who may have been impacted following extreme rainfall," a spokesman for Southern Water said.

"Herne Bay is one of a number of areas affected by extreme rainfall.

"Our King's Hall pumping station has been operating at maximum capacity for more than 24 hours and 2,000 litres of rainwater is being taken off shore every second.

"Our systems in Herne Bay were operating properly.

"Extreme rainfall – and more than 41mm of rain fell in the area in the past 24 hours – can overwhelm any system.

"It’s the last thing we wanted before Christmas. We haven’t got anywhere to go and we don’t know what’s going on..."

"When rain threatens to overwhelm our sewers we make storm releases to try and prevent flooding.

"While we always help customers in need, we recommend they contact their household insurers for any property damage. We always do our best to help.”

Elsewhere in Kent, a lane of the M20 is set to be shut all day due to emergency drain repairs.

Flooding has also caused queuing traffic on the A2 in both directions in Bexley with congestion stretching towards the M25.

The Pantiles in Tunbridge Wells has reportedly flooded, as well as All Saints Avenue in Margate.

There was also slow-moving traffic due to the weather this morning on the A2 London-bound before the Northfleet and Ebbsfleet turn-off.