The sea batters Dover Port sea wall [picture by Paul Rutterford]

Police have asked motorists heading to the port in Dover to use the A20 to allow freight traffic to use the M20.

Strong winds and heavy rain caused flooding and travel chaos on Tuesday.

Crossings from Dover were resuming, but some ferries were suspended on Wednesday because of a blockade by fisherman at the Port of Calais.

Fallen trees also caused delays for drivers and train travellers on Tuesday, but brighter conditions on Wednesday enabled many services to resume.

Rain poured in through the roof and started seeping into the Nave below Canterbury Cathedral Spokeswoman

On Wednesday afternoon, the Environment Agency said seven flood warnings and 27 flood watches remained in place across the southern region.

Howard Davidson, the agency's regional director, said: "The worst is over now for most people.

"Every time we come this close to flooding, it serves as a wake up call that we all need to be prepared."

He said defences completed last year held flood waters back in Robertsbridge, East Sussex, where teams also worked through the night to put up temporary flood barriers.

And in Selsey, West Sussex, teams worked around the clock to shore up the shingle along the beach at Medmerry as strong winds caused waves to batter the coast.

Staff at Canterbury Cathedral said the heavy rain and strong gusts took their toll on the building's 150-year-old roof.

A spokeswoman said: "Rain poured in through the roof and started seeping into the Nave below.

"Tarpaulins were laid down on the floors of the roof spaces to prevent leakage through to the Nave but buckets still had to be placed in different parts of the Nave to catch water that got through.

Buckets had to be placed in the Nave of Canterbury Cathedral

"Such was the force of the wind and rain that it also came through the windows in the south west transept which resulted in the closure of the usual exit route through the south door."

A section of the M23 near Crawley was closed for about six hours after floodwaters blocked all carriageways.

Fire crews with a Land Rover had to rescue a woman and three children whose car was stuck in flood water at Lodsworth, West Sussex.

West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service also rescued other people trapped in their cars by water, and six people were led to safety from houses in Arundel.

Flooding also affected shops and offices across Kent and Sussex, including in Groombridge, Tonbridge and Great Chart, near Ashford.

In East Sussex, winds of up to 87mph were recorded at Fairlight, near Hastings.