Met Office issues thunderstorm warning as stormy conditions to batter south coast and trains suspended amid flooding fears
The Met Office imposed a yellow thunderstorm warning for parts of East Sussex and Kent until 5pm, covering Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Folkestone and Dover.
Some areas were told to expect 20mm (0.8in) to 25mm (1in) of rain in less than an hour, with 30mm (1.2in) to 40mm (1.6in) in one to two hours in a few locations.
The alert, which was activated as soon as it was announced at 12.52pm, comes amid concerns driving conditions will be affected by spray and standing water.
Forecasters also warned of power cuts; damage to buildings and structures from lightning strikes; flooding of homes and businesses; and delays to public transport.
Train operator Southern said its services between Hastings and Ashford International were cancelled this afternoon after the railway flooded and blocked all lines.
It comes a day after England's fourth major hosepipe ban of summer came into force as Thames Water activated restrictions for more than one million customers.
Homes served by the firm in parts of Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire were hit by the ban following one of the driest springs on record.
Despite four days of downpours since Saturday, company bosses said they could not confirm when restrictions will end because it is "generally waiting for rain".
Some 1.1million customers with postcodes OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9 now have the ban - but it was avoided by London, which is also served by Thames Water.
The ban follows Southern Water activating restrictions for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight on Monday. That followed other bans implemented by South East Water for parts of Kent and Sussex last Friday, and in the Yorkshire Water region since July 11.
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