UK weather forecast: Streets turn to rivers as Britain is hammered by thunderstorms

Britons have been warned to prepare a 'grab bag' of essentials in case of flooding as torrential rain and thunderstorms hammer parts of the country today, causing mudslides while deluging rail lines and streets. A driveway has completely flooded outside of a home in Port Talbot, Wales as heavy rain continues to pour down Vehicles drive along the very wet M25 near Swanley in Kent today as heavy rain creates surface spray and reduces visibility Locals and visitors join together to try to clear floodwater away from Seagulls restaurant at West Bay in Dorset today The A358 in Somerset has been closed at Combe Florey today after a huge mudslide that has caused chaos for local motorists Heavy downpours and thunderstorms move northwards into southern England this morning amid warnings over flooding A fireman from Dorset and Wiltshire fire crew help pump some of the water out of the road with their fire engine after torrential rain and thunderstorms caused flash flooding The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue crew were successful in removing some of the flooding, allowing motorists to use the junction Vehicles drive along the very wet M25 near Swanley in Kent today as heavy rain creates surface spray and reduces visibility Tourists walk along the South Bank in London during heavy rain in the capital today as the heatwave comes to an end A couple go for a walk in the sea under an umbrella off the almost deserted beach of Weymouth in Dorset this morning A man tries to clear a drain grid during flooding in Winchester today as parts of the country are hit by heavy rain Commuters walk over London Bridge this morning as heavy rain hits the capital following the heatwave People queue up outside Westminster Abbey during heavy rain in London today as thunderstorms hit the capital Two young women shelter under an umbrella as they walk over Millennium Bridge in London during heavy rain this afternoon Locals and visitors join together to try to clear floodwater away from Seagulls restaurant at West Bay in Dorset today A vehicle drives through a large puddle during heavy rain at Greenwich in South East London this morning Three people take a selfie under umbrellas as they stand on Millennium Bridge in London during heavy rain this afternoon People walk over London Bridge this morning as heavy rain hits the capital following the heatwave People walk through London in the rain today - and while some of them came prepared with umbrellas, others did not Flooding on rail lines near Perth in Scotland today, where speed restrictions have been imposed on routes due to heavy rain The wet weather helped form a waterspout alongside the south coast of Cornwall over a tour boat in Fowey Harbour, creating a vortex A bride and groom shelter from the rain under an umbrella during their wedding photos in Central London this afternoon Tourists wearing rain ponchos walk through Westminster today during heavy rain after the prolonged dry spell Christine Colvin, from the Rivers Trust, warned there is a risk that people will not take the drought seriously in the coming days, adding: 'We want people to keep this rainfall event in context and as part of the bigger picture. A Morrisons car park in Loughborough was submerged in flood water after the torrential rain and storms A man leaps over a puddle as shoppers rush through a heavy downpour in London this afternoon A car drives through floodwater on the B3157 coast road at Burton Bradstock in Dorset during torrential rain today Cars on a flooded road in Winchester today as thunderstorms hit the country this week after the recent heatwave A car drives through floodwater on the B3157 coast road at Burton Bradstock in Dorset during torrential rain today A tractor works to clear A358 in Somerset today after it was closed at Combe Florey following the mudslide last night Workers have had to remove more than 50 tonnes of mud and potatoes today following the mudslide on the A358 in Somerset A tractor works to clear A358 in Somerset today after it was closed at Combe Florey following the mudslide last night Emergency services workers at the scene of the A358 mudslide in Somerset today amid the torrential rain and thunderstorms ) Pedestrians shelter under umbrellas in Westminster during heavy rain this afternoon following the prolonged dry spell A woman looks across to the Houses of Parliament while shielding under an umbrella during a rain shower in London today Ms Shepherd expressed concern about the Government's 'cost criteria' regarding the accessibility of funding for flooded communities, saying: 'There are people, particularly in rural and deprived areas, that repeatedly are flooded and can't access any funding to do anything about that.' Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said that thunderstorms and heavy rain is likely to hit parts of Scotland as well as areas of the South West and East of England. People walk through London near Tower Bridge in the rain this morning as the capital is hit by downpours Two people look at Tower Bridge in the rain under an umbrella this morning as downpours return to the capital People walk through London near Tower Bridge in the rain this morning as the capital is hit by downpours An autumnal feel to Hyde Park in London this morning as the heatwave finally ends with a series of thunderstorms He added: 'It will be in turns fairly breezy as we end the week, with some showery rain, particularly across the north of the UK, so temperatures generally around average for many but could possibly be a bit above for the far south, which is the mid-20s.