A pour summer

Brits get drenched as a month’s rain falls in a day Relief as forecasters say sun will return this weekend

BRITAIN was drenched in rain yet again yesterday as the August storms continued to spoil the summer.

Severe downpours soaked swathes of the country after forecasters predicted a month’s worth of rain in a day.

The wet weather caused havoc in Grimsby, Lincs, where drains were unable to cope.

Holidaymakers were soaked in Cromer, Norfolk, while planes hit puddles at Luton Airport.

In Pontypool, South Wales, a tornado-like funnel cloud loomed over shops. There was 3ft of standing water in Withernsea, East Yorks, more than 2in soaked Bridlington, North Yorks, and 1.5in fell in Bodmin, Cornwall. Damon Webb, 46, saw what looked like a tornado forming off the Isle of Sheppey in Kent.

He said: “There was a big thunderstorm and the formation lasted for 90 seconds, there were lightning bolts around it too.”

Flood alerts were issued across the UK.

The Met Office put out a severe weather warning that a deluge of rain moving southeastwards would bring with it a chance of flooding to homes and businesses.

More than 3in fell in some parts of the country, above the entire August average rainfall of 2.8in.

But forecasters are predicting sunshine will be back in time for the weekend.

The Met Office’s Grahame Madge said: “Apart from a little bit of cloud and a few isolated showers, Saturday will be a dry and bright day. We also expect plenty of sunshine, with 24C temperatures possible.”

Ladbrokes slashed the odds on August turning out to be the wettest on record from 6-1 to 2-1.

Saturday will be dry and bright, we expect plenty of sunshine GRAHAME MADGE MET OFFICE SPOKESMAN