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Wild weather

Heavy storms and flooding across the UK

A man has died after being swept away by floodwater as heavy rain and thunderstorms battered parts of central and northern England.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:24:03 PM
West Mercia Police said the man was overcome by the water in a stream in Bitterley, near Ludlow, Shropshire, shortly after 10.30am today.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:24:11 PM
Motorists drive through large puddles in Worcester, as heavy rain and thunderstorms battered parts of central and northern England

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:26:32 PM
Flooding has hit parts of the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire following downpours in the region.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:27:08 PM
A 90-year-old man was among a number of people rescued from vehicles by fire crews as heavy rain caused flash flooding in the Bridgnorth area of Shropshire.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:27:24 PM
Herefordshire Council said a number of roads across the county were submerged, with severe localised flooding affecting Orleton, Brimfield, Yarpole and Kingsland.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:27:36 PM
Surging floodwaters in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:29:00 PM
BREAKING: Residents in Bitterley named the man who died as maths teacher Mike Ellis, who lived in the village with his wife.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:29:40 PM
Local councillor and farmer Richard Huffer, 50, said Mr Ellis was "a very well respected member of the community".

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:30:52 PM
Meanwhile, in the Midlands, massive hailstones "the size of golf balls" have struck parts of the UK as a band of rare "super cell thunderstorms" swept across the region.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:31:20 PM
Three people, were taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary with non-life-threatening injuries after accidents caused by the weather, Leicestershire Police said.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:31:28 PM
Heavy rain, thunder & BIG hailstones, floods. 10 minute shop becomes 2 hour expedition.

by whypad via twitter 6/28/2012 5:32:36 PM
Super cell thunderstorms were common in areas like the plains of the US Midwest but make up just 1% of storms in the UK, according to Paul Knightly, senior forecaster with Meteogroup, the weather arm of the Press Association.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:32:57 PM
A number of severe weather warnings are in place following storms across northern and central England

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:34:44 PM
Super cell thunderstorms can do "disproportionate damage" by bringing with them large hailstones, tornados, heavy rain and and high winds.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:35:24 PM
Three of the storms had been caused by a "Spanish plume", a warm weather front heading north from Iberia which has risen over cooler Atlantic air as they meet over the British Isles, leading to powerful thunderstorms.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:36:52 PM
The Environment Agency has urged people to be on alert for more flash flooding across the Midlands and northern England as the Met Office forecast outbreaks of torrential rain across many central and northern parts of the country.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:37:32 PM
There is a continued risk of surface water flooding if drainage systems are overwhelmed by rainfall.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:37:48 PM
Some pictures of hailstones in Wolvey, Leicestershire, sent by @theblueHew on Twitter

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:42:23 PM
Thunderstorms caused flooding and traffic disruption across the North East, with Northumbria Police issuing warnings to drivers to take care because of the treacherous driving conditions and standing water.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:44:28 PM
There were many reports of localised flooding

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:50:08 PM
Flooding was also reported in the West Midlands, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Staffordshire, with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had taken hundreds of calls relating to the weather.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:50:36 PM
Trains between Scotland and England have been hit by floods in Cumbria and near Newcastle, with a landslip taking place near Berwick-upon-Tweed.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:52:24 PM
Forecasters from Meteogroup, the weather forecasting arm of the Press Association, said England and Wales north of a line from the Bristol Channel to the Wash had been hit by severe weather.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:53:24 PM
Some hail stones which fell in Belton, Nottinghamshire

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:54:28 PM
Stephen Davenport, forecast manager for Meteogroup, said some of the hailstones were so large, "cars were dented and greenhouses were smashed".

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:55:11 PM
Around 70 properties have been hit by flooding, according to the Environment Agency.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:55:56 PM
Northern Ireland and the Irish republic have also been hit by floods, with forecasters warning of more heavy rain on the way.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:56:16 PM
At the height of disruption, more than 10,000 homes in the Cork area and 1,000 in Northern Ireland suffered blackouts.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:56:20 PM
Forecasters have warned of treacherous conditions

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 5:57:16 PM
Political leaders in Northern Ireland have been forced to try to calm public anger about the handling of flash floods which swamped parts of Belfast and County Antrim, with further downpours forecast as thousands struggle to clean up flood damage.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:25:28 PM
This graphic reveals record levels for the River Rede at Otterburn.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:29:56 PM
RT @EnvAgencyYNE: We have 4 #flood warnings and 20 flood alerts in #Yorkshire #Newcastle & #Northumberland t.co #floodaware

by Environment Agency via twitter 6/28/2012 6:32:48 PM
The floods are the latest to hit parts of the UK, as this month shapes up to be one of the wettest Junes on record - possibly surpassing June 2007 when heavy rain caused widespread flooding.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:33:00 PM
More than a thousand homes and businesses were flooded last weekend after torrential downpours across the north, with a month's rain falling in 24 hours in some places.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:33:08 PM
Earlier in the month, flash floods brought havoc to communities in west Wales following heavy rainfall.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:37:16 PM
But, there's better weather ahead, according to the Met Office: Rain over England is moving north east and will clear over the North Sea in the next few hours.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:37:48 PM
The next few days should be quieter, with sunshine and showers tomorrow, forecasters said.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:37:56 PM
Ferocious weather conditions have caused havoc in some areas

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:38:32 PM
flooding at the metro!! t.co

by sambennettxx via Yfrog 6/28/2012 6:41:46 PM
Eldest daughter been on way home for 3 hours and is still stuck due to road closures due to flooding. Other daughter basking in 25 degrees!

by Sprokitt via twitter 6/28/2012 6:42:32 PM
Can't be believe its been such a stunning day here in London and up north there is flooding. Hope everyone is OK up north #besafe

by MarcusWeedon via twitter 6/28/2012 6:42:44 PM
The Tyne Tunnel is closed in both directions, Northumbria Police said.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:46:44 PM
All Metros are at a standstill due to flooding and the system has been suspended, the force said.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:46:52 PM
Trains from Edinburgh travelling south are terminating at Berwick, Northumbria Police said. Passengers wishing to travel south are leaving the train and are waiting for buses to take them further south.

by Paul McGurk, Press Association 6/28/2012 6:47:08 PM

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