Parts of New Romney High Street resembled a lake today when it was struck by flash flooding.

And seven properties were flooded in the pandemonium.

The street was hit by a series of rainstorms in the late morning and early afternoon.

Flooding was so severe around the BP garage that cars were left underwater up to their wheel arches.

The same area had been struck with the same scale of flooding almost exactly a year ago, on August 11 2014.

With thunderstorm warnings earlier in this week shopkeepers had sandbags at the ready to try to protect their properties.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Officers were sent to assess reports of flooding in New Romney.

"One fire engine has been sent to High Street, New Romney to help deal with up to seven properties that have been affected by flooding."

This was part of a wider storm havoc which saw two homes being struck by lightning in nearby Ashford.

One at Great Chart caught fire after being hit by a bolt and the ridge of a roof was also struck at Brabourne Lees.

Kent was shrouded in an unusually sinister darkness as the rain came down, with the conditions making it appear like November.

A Met Office amber warning came into effect at 1pm and will remain in place until 9pm. It had been upgraded from a yellow warning..

A spokesman said this afternoon: "After very heavy downpours this morning, a second cluster of torrential, thundery downpours is expected to move north across the area from late afternoon.

Earlier, a spokesman said: "20 or 30 mm of rain may fall in a relatively short space of time in some places whilst locally in excess of 50 mm is possible in just a few hours."