FLASH FLOOD

Big clean-up after lightning storms and torrential rain cause misery

VICTIMS of the flash floods which struck southern England were left to pick up the pieces as the thunderstorms rolled across Britain.

Almost 100,000 lightning strikes were recorded on Tuesday evening as heavy rain lashed the South Coast.

The Met Office put out a yellow alert for “severe storms” across much of England and Wales, warning of further flooding and disruption.

A massive clean-up operation began in the Cornish village of Coverack yesterday, after it was cut-off by flashflooding. Around 50 homes were affected following hailstones the “size of golf balls” and torrential rain.

Five people were airlifted to safety as torrents of water turned roads into a river and washed away buildings.

Cars were abandoned and a school bus became stuck as boulders and debris came crashing down from hills above the village.

Chris Price, 57, said he had never seen such devastating floods, despite living in the area all his life.

He said: “It is pretty wet around here and there’s lots of mud, about five tonnes – at least a whole skip-full. It could be worse, the house is still here.

“We’ve now got to get the mud out of the house. I’ve no idea how much it will cost. We will just crack on.

“I’ve never seen floods like this, but it’s been pretty bad weather.”

Initial reports suggest up to an inch of rain fell in just 15 minutes during one period on Tuesday night.

The heaviest rain recorded by the Met Office was at Reading University, in Berkshire, where 1.4in (36mm) fell between 9pm and 10pm. This is more than half the average rainfall expected over the entire month of July, which is usually around 2.3in (57.5mm).

The thunder and lightning storms moved north throughout the day yesterday and forecasters expect the bad weather to last into the weekend.

The stormy conditions will bring the warm spell to an end, with temperatures set to plunge from today.

Practice at golf ’s Open Championship was suspended yesterday as storms swept towards the Royal Birkdale course at Southport, Merseyside.