A grandmother has been forced to leave her home and sleep on her son’s couch after catastrophic flooding destroyed her bungalow.

Doreen Cross, of Nelson Terrace, off Luton Road in Chatham, says she has been reduced to tears after seeing sewage come pouring into her beloved home following the floods which devastated much of Medway on Friday.

The 87-year-old, who has a heart condition and has only recently recovered from bladder cancer, is now having to sleep at her son’s house after the housing association came and switched off her electricity and left her with sodden carpets and water-damaged furniture.

She has been returning every day with her family to try to clear-up the damage.

“I’ve been going there each day and every time I see it I just start crying,” she said.

Doreen, who has lived in her bungalow for 28 years, watched as her property filled with water as the storms took hold on Friday evening.

“I was there,” she said. “I saw the water gushing through my front door and all along the hallway. It went into every room.”

Doreen said she rushed around trying to save her shoes and put anything she could up high, as the same thing had happened six years ago.

“I was watching the storm and I knew what was coming,” she said. “Within minutes the water was coming under the door.

“I rushed to put my boots on but the water was over the laces straight away and inside my shoes. My feet still haven’t recovered.”

Doreen said all her furniture was new after the last time and while she might be able to clean it, she said the smell was awful and the carpets were still sodden.

“It stinks,” she said.

She said there is still a stench in the air from the last time the property was flooded.

“I’ve lost my sense of smell so I can’t smell it,” she said. “But every time my son or grandchildren walk in they comment on the smell.”

She is also devastated at the damage to her beloved garden.

“I cared for that garden and made it really lovely,” she said.

Now Doreen says she is scared to return to her property in case it happens again.

“I can’t go back there. I can’t be expected to live there like that. I’m frightened.”

As she is still recovering from her cancer battle and has previously undergone heart surgeries, Doreen says she has been advised to get a good 10 hours’ sleep.

But she said she was struggling to sleep on the sofa.

“I’m a big girl,” she said. “It’s not wide enough for me.

“I need 10 hours sleep and I’m not even getting five.”

A spokesman for Southern Housing, which owns Doreen’s property, said: “We’re sorry Ms Cross was affected by the torrential downpour which flooded a number of properties in Chatham, Rainham and Gillingham on Friday.

“Our building supervisor and electrician arrived in Nelson Terrace around 45 minutes after being informed the extreme weather had caused flooding in this area.

“They investigated the damage to our homes and checked to see if it was safe for our residents to stay in their homes. Ms Cross advised she was happy to stay with her family for the weekend and we agreed to review the situation on Monday (4 September).

“Our Housing Team contacted Ms Cross on Monday morning to discuss her housing situation and offer support. We will continue to work hard to repair the damage caused by the heavy rainfall to all affected homes as quickly as possible.”

Up to 20 fire engines were sent to affected areas across Chatham on Friday afternoon, including Walderslade Road, Nelson Terrace, McKenzie Road, Hopewell Drive, Sundridge Drive, Beechmore Drive and Gorse Avenue in Chatham.

They also went to Recreation Avenue in Snodland and Wheatcroft Grove, Bond Road and Brackwood Close in Gillingham, where crews used specialist equipment to clear flood water.

Other places deluged with water included Rainham shopping precinct, Elm Court Garden Centre in Gillingham and the Co-Op off Walderslade Road in Chatham.

Rain was also seen pouring through part of the roof at Morrisons in Walderslade Road, Princes Avenue, Chatham.

A spokesman for the supermarket said: “The heavy rain on Friday did cause some damage to our store but it was all repaired over the weekend and that part of the store is now open as usual.”

There were also reports of parts of the A20 near West Malling flooded too.

The Met Office had declared a yellow warning for thunderstorms across the county, including Swale, Medway, Maidstone and Canterbury.

A resident was forced to rescue his car in Rainham after the roads became flooded.

While another recorded this footage of an exploding manhole cover at the bottom of Prince Charles Avenue in Chatham.