PARTS of Kent were hit by flash floods and lightning strikes on Tuesday afternoon.

Flash floods swept through Gravesend town centre, Bean, Longfield and Swanscombe, as up to a month’s rain fell within an hour.

Shop managers in Gravesend made desperate calls to the council for emergency sandbags as water lapped at doorsteps of premises.

Firefighters battled to reach a house blaze in Dartford, caused by a lightning strike, because of the torrential rain.

One house in Swanscombe was reported flooded as part of the street was under two feet of water.

Part of Beacon Drive in Bean was also under a foot of water during the storms. Resident Tom Partridge said: "The water had collected at the bottom of the hill. Cars had water up to the tops of their wheels."

And at The Three Daws pub in Gravesend, landlord Lester Banks tried to block the windows and doors of the function room, which was left covered in sewage as drain water seeped in.

* FOR THE FULL STORY, SEE THIS WEEK’S DARTFORD MESSENGER AND GRAVESEND MESSENGER.