Heavy rain has disrupted much of the Tunbridge Wells Festival Picture: Barry Goodwin

Kent have moved Tuesday evening's Friends Life t20 match against Sussex Sharks to the St Lawrence Ground after flash flooding in Tunbridge Wells.

The match, which was due to take place at The Nevill Ground, will now be played under floodlights in Canterbury with a start time of 7pm.

Kent's chief executive, Jamie Clifford, said heavy rain on Sunday night had forced the club into action, leaving a return to Canterbury the only decision possible for the start of the T20 competition.

He said: "There is no way we could have got anything on at Tunbridge Wells at all. I would have been surprised if you could get any play on that wicket for 10 days.

"What a sorry way to celebrate your 100th festival but in the end you have to just accept it, there is nothing you can do. It's been horrific and pretty costly too and I feel sorry for the supporters who have had their plans disrupted.

"It's the opening game of the competition and it's against Sussex so hopefully there will still be a good crowd."

With the majority of the Tunbridge Wells Festival wiped out by rain, the county are looking at losses of about £50,000 for what is usually a profitable week. It could have been worse had a wicket not been prepared for today's scheduled Varsity matches between University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church - now postponed due to the weather.

Mr Clifford explained: "Given that we had no games at Canterbury until the end of June, we could have been high and dry with no wicket prepared here and struggling, so we were very lucky there was a Varsity game originally planned."

• Anyone withtickets for the match and are unable to travel to Canterbury tomorrow, cansendtheir tickets with name and address to Kent County Cricket Club, St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, Kent CT1 3NZ. Kent are also offering full refunds for those that can't attend, while advance ticket prices of £20 for adults and £5 juniors will be available on the gate.