Month of rain set to fall in a few hours

Cars completely submerged following flash flooding in Southwell, Nottingham

The country is braced for more heavy rain as the heat triggers ­ferocious thunderstorms.

Forecasters warned that intense deluges could bring almost a month’s worth of rain in just hours.

The Environment Agency last night issued 16 flood alerts and one more serious flood warning at locations across the whole country.

The Met Office issued a weather warning for heavy rain today for much of the North, with the South-east on high alert at the weekend.

Forecaster Sarah Holland said: “Hot temperatures are bringing thunderstorms which could cause localised disruption and flash flooding.

“Right the way through the week and into the weekend it is going to stay unsettled with some quite torrential downpours.”

Fierce thunderstorms have already triggered floods in some areas.

More than 50 homes in Southwell, Nottinghamshire were hit by flash floods and falling trees and debris forced the closure of local roads.

A van makes its way through partially flooded roads during heavy rain in Glasgow

Right the way through the week and into the weekend it is going to stay unsettled with some quite torrential downpours

Sarah Holland, weather forecaster

A girl of 15 died a heroine by leaping into a river to try to save her drowning best friend – despite not being able to swim.

Toni-Beth Purvis made a desperate attempt to rescue Chloe Fowler,14, who was caught by strong currents while swimming with friends on Tuesday in the Wear in Washington, Tyne and Wear. A friend of her father said: “She was a total heroine. It’s the type of thing she would do.”

Yesterday, a 27-year-old man died while swimming with a woman in the Lake District.

Emergency services sped to Thirl­mere reservoir, Keswick, at 3pm, after reports of a man and woman in distress. A Cumbria Police spokesman said: “A man was recovered from the water where he had sadly died.”

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