FLASH floods struck Worthing, Littlehampton and parts of Adur today.

Firefighters were called into action as thunderstorms and torrential downpours swept the county during the afternoon.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service area manager Adrian Murphy posted on Twitter: “We’re suddenly busy responding to several flash floods and lightning strikes in the Worthing area after an intense lightning and rain squall.

“Our priority [is] to protect people’s homes and possessions.”

Flooding also affected the A259 near Shoreham Airport and the A27 was partially blocked by a fallen tree near Durrington Cemetery.

Facebook user Nick Parsons posted a video online of the flooding in Worthing, commenting: “My advice would be stay the hell away from Worthing right now! We just avoided getting stuck in this flash flooding which was up to the bumper of our Polo at points.”

He added: “Crazy – got back to Horsham and it was bone dry. The section from Worthing to Findon was mad!”

A yellow weather warning covered much of the South today and is set to remain in place tomorrow, according to the Met Office.

Ian Blunt posted on Facebook: “It was like the apocalypse for about half an hour here in Angmering.”

But some areas escaped the rain completely.

Vivienne Barnett posted: “Not a drop in Horsham, some thunder but that’s all.”

The severe weather swept across Southern England on Sunday evening and this afternoon.

Holidaymakers enjoying the long weekend were warned of the risk of flash floods and sudden worsening of visibility amid heavy rainfall.

Although temperatures had been tipped to rise to the highest of the year so far, late-clearing cloud kept the mercury lower than expected, forecaster Greg Dewhurst said.

“The cloud cover took longer to burn back this morning so it’s just kept things a bit cooler and just hasn’t had that full amount of sunshine to heat everywhere up,” he said.

A combination of warm, unstable air and light winds sparked the thunderstorms, Mr Dewhurst added.

Carol Holt, Environment Agency flood duty manager, said: “Further heavy showers in some parts over the remainder of this bank holiday weekend carry a risk of further localised flooding.”

Ms Holt added: “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by the flooding this weekend and our teams are working with those communities who have experienced flooding.”

Thorney Island in West Sussex was the warmest recorded spot by late afternoon, peaking at 25.8C, a few degrees shy of the April high of 29.1C in central London.

The Environment Agency warned people not to drive through floodwater, adding that just 30cm can move a car.

An elderly man died when his car was submerged in Walsall in the early hours of the morning.