Torrential rain and thunderstorms cause serious flooding in parts of London and the South East (photos)

Heavy rain has caused serious flooding in some parts of the UK. There is a major disruption to the rail network, with many routes blocked by water and a number of London Underground lines have been suspended due to the rising floods. It has also affected homes, commercial properties, roads and even vehicles have been trapped. Some properties were reportedly struck by lightning, which also brought down a tree. The London Fire Brigade have appealed to people to only dial 999 "where there is a risk to life or property" after receiving twice as many weather-related emergency calls than they've ever handled in 24 hours. See more photos after the cut.