Thunderstorms, f loods ... and then a heatwave!

THUNDERSTORMS are forecast to sweep across Britain today, prompting flood alerts.

The Met Office issued a yellow weather warning yesterday as the storms moved eastwards.

There is hope on the horizon, however, with temperatures expected to soar next week, hitting 28C (82F) by Wednesday.

The entire west of the country, from Cornwall up to Glasgow, was put on alert yesterday as storms began to creep in from the coastline.

By the early afternoon, parts of Greater Manchester became deluged by the rain, with one Asda supermarket in Rochdale having to be evacuated.

The same storm will reach Portsmouth, Oxford and as far east as Lincoln tomorrow and most of the North will have heavy rain.

Temperatures are set to remain in the lower twenties across the country today with highs of 22C (72F) in the North and 23C (73F) in the South.

However they could be as low as 11C (52F) if there are heavy clouds blocking the sun.

It will be a blow for those planning their first trip to the shops in months, as well as a source of frustration for shopkeepers eager to see business return.

Storms are far more likely in the South tomorrow as well as prolonged showers. A high of (21C) is expected, with lows of 11C (52F).

Friday will finally see some glimpses of sun across the country in the afternoon, although the morning will be cloudy as the last remnants of the storm pass. Highs of 20C (68F) are expected in the North and 23C (73F) in the South.

Temperatures will then rise steadily into the weekend before blazing sunshine arrives early next week, with some parts of the country set to climb above 25C (77F) on Monday.

The scenic town of Ironbridge, Shropshire, saw shops become swamped by sewage as flash flooding mixed with the wastewater yesterday. The town had to be evacuated only four months ago after the swollen River Severn flood barriers looked like they would fail.