Thunder, lightning and rain replaces summer heat

Heavy rain and storms which swept southern and eastern England yesterday left a trail of damage. The overnight rain, with patchy thunder and lightning, stretched from south Wales through Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset to East Sussex.

One block of flats In Wembley, London, was struck by lightning, severely damaging the roof. Lightning also struck an electricity pole at a campsite near Corfe Castle, Dorset, sparking a fire which spread to several caravans, trees and other buildings.

In Devon, more than 2,000 properties were left without electricity for several hours. Three adults, one child and a dog were pulled up steep cliffs by the coastguard after stormy conditions trapped them in a small cove at Labrador Bay near Brixham.

Meteogroup forecaster Tony Conlan said the warm weather was unlikely to return soon,"temperatures are unlikely to rise above 14-17C in the South, and a little cooler in the North, though they may rise slightly by Thursday."