Torrential showers across huge swathes of the country have already left roads swamped, drains deluged and people desperately battling to keep floodwaters at bay, with more expected today.
After weeks of sweltering weather which has caused drought, the Met Office s yellow thunderstorm warning for Wednesday forecasts conditions in which 20-30 mm of rain is possible within an hour .
Thunderstorms and torrential rain have cancelled dozens of flights at Gatwick and created massive delays, leaving some people stuck on the tarmac for four hours.
Mum left for dead on school run after scrambler bike ploughed into her manchestereveningnews.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from manchestereveningnews.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
GRAPHIC: Leah Cunningham has shared pictures of injuries she suffered when she was hit by a dirt bike in Netherton which saw her flung 15ft in the air and left for dead in the middle of the road.