Storms and flash floods swept the county yesterday, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Fire crews were pushed to their limits receiving dozens of calls from homes deluged with water.

Parts of Brighton and Hove were the worst hit.

At its height, almost every firefighter in the city was involved in 999 calls prompted by the rainstorm.

In Shoreham a mini tornado was reported off the coast and in Horsham hundreds of residents were left without power for two hours after lightning struck just before 6am. In East Grinstead 1,315 customers were cut off for half an hour.

Billie Jo Maynard, of Surrey Street, Brighton, was getting ready for work when she discovered her house had been flooded.

Miss Maynard, 27, a spokeswoman for East Sussex Fire and Rescue, said: "I was rushing around and when I went downstairs I saw the floor was covered in water. Outside the water was gushing past carrying along bits of litter.

"I stupidly opened the door and more water rushed in.

"I had to stay with a friend because the water has come through the roof into my bedroom and soaked right through my mattress. My floors are just collapsing. It's unbelievable.

"Crews from Lewes were sent to me which shows how busy the Brighton crews are. The service was under severe pressure due to the weather. It is manic."

East Sussex Fire and Rescue received 40 weather-related calls. There were no reports of any injuries but crews had to rescue one woman who had become trapped when her basement flat in Wilbury Road, Hove, was left under 2ft of water.

Leading firefighter David Apps said: "We had an extremely busy morning. It was flood after flood after flood. We had to get help from crews in Lewes, Newhaven and Barcombe because we were so busy."

New Look in Western Road, Brighton, had to close temporarily when the roof leaked damaging clothes on the shop floor.

Tanya Butterfill, manager of WH Smith in George Street, Hove, spent the morning mopping up water with buckets and sponges.

Miss Butterfill, 25, said: "The whole of the shop floor was covered in water. A bit of stock has been ruined but there isn't too much long-term damage.

"All the staff came in with their trousers rolled up and their socks and shoes off. They were down on their knees mopping all morning.

"The carpets have dried out and cleaned and we're back to normal now."

Crews were also called to Imperial Arcade in Brighton, the Theatre Royal, the Health and Racket Club in Village Way, Falmer, and flats and houses throughout the city.

Firefighters felt the effects of the weather first hand when their own station in Preston Circus flooded and had to be pumped out by crews from Barcombe.

One lane of New England Road, in Brighton, was closed after the downpour ruptured a sheet of galvanised metal on the underside of a railway bridge at 9am. Part of sheet was left hanging precariously over the road.

Water gushed into the road at the junction between the A270 and Stapley Road in Hove after a man hole cover flipped off. The road was closed while emergency services battled to stop the leak as the water rose.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue only received one weather-related emergency call. Firefighters rescued an elderly man who was trapped in a caravan at a travellers site at Midhurst..