A shopping centre was briefly evacuated this afternoon due to flooding.

Shoppers at the Pentagon in Chatham were asked to leave for a short time at around 1pm.

A Pentagon spokesman said: "It was a seasonal occurrence largely due to where the centre is situated.

"We followed the usual protocol and evacuated the centre. But within about five minutes, once the tide had receeded, we were able to reopen.

“The fire Brigade was informed but did not attend."

He also said the heavy rainfall yesterday contributed to the problem.

This comes a day after a warning was put in place by the Environment Agency warning of high tides around lunchtime today.

The warning stretched along the north Kent coast – from Dartford to Margate and will coincide with Monday’s high tide at around 1.15pm.

It says: “Flooding is possible at low-lying land, promenades and coastal footpaths for one to two hours either side of the high tide”.

Towns along the tidal River Medway and around the Isle of Grain are being alerted with the rise in tide levels affecting Aylesford, Medway Towns, Lower Halstow, Middle Stoke, and Lower Stoke.