First homes were hit by lightning, then rivers overflowed and flooded much of the county.

Almost every town and village in the county was affected and roads were covered in water, leaving drivers floundering this morning.

Lightning struck a family's home as they tuned into last night's England v Finland football match.

The McNamara family were just settling down to watch the vital World Cup qualifier when the thunderbolt struck.

Flames erupted from the back of the TV and their semi-detached house in St Botolph's Road, Worthing, started filling with acrid smoke.

Mike McNamara, 56, his wife Margaret, 52, and twin sons Simon and Christopher, both 25, sat in stunned silence.

Margaret said: "There was this almighty bang, and a great big flash from the back of the TV.

"All the electrics started fizzing and filled the house with smoke. It felt as though a bomb had gone off.

"The noise was horrendous, the whole house shook. My ears were ringing. It was terrifying."

Elsewhere in West Sussex, the A24 between Worthing and Findon was badly flooded, with the worst affected area at the busy Offington roundabout as London-bound traffic was forced to negotiate giant puddles.

The A29 between Bognor and Billingshurst was also under water and there were long queues of traffic along the A27 between Worthing and Sompting, where roadworks were taking place.

A herd of cows at a farm at Beeding also had to be rescued by firefighters after becoming trapped in a field last night.

The coast road on the boundary between Worthing and Ferring was flooded to a depth of 1ft.

Dozens of gardens in Ferring were left underwater in the worst floods seen in a decade.

Sewage seeping from the overflowing drains added to the problem.

Eric and Beryl Dorrington, of Sark Gardens, Ferring, watched as water filled their driveway.

Mr Dorrington, who has lived in Ferring for ten years, said: "I have never seen anything like it."

Other places affected included Henfield, Small Dole, Partridge Green, Findon, Southwick and East Preston.