Rail services across the country have been plunged into chaos as lightning disrupts train services, with Leeds station described as “the seventh circle of hell” by one commuter.
Extreme weather in Yorkshire is having a knock-on effect up and down the country, with London North Eastern Railway has advised all passengers not to even attempt travelling on Friday.
All trains from Leeds were suspended for a time, although some have now resumed with long delays expected.
TransPennine has warned people not to travel from York to Leeds, and Cross Country trains has said the line through York has reopened but travellers should expect “cancellations and delays through the area”.
And trains out of Kings Cross in London are subject to delays and cancellations.
Passengers can check for the latest updates on the following links:
The heatwave currently gripping the country continues to cause major problems, and the respite that rain clouds might bring to lawns and sweaty brows across the UK come with their own issues.
Heavy thunderstorms could cause danger to life, sudden flooding and power cuts as forecasters upgraded a weather warning.
The Met Office issued an amber alert for parts of England – a step up from yellow – with intense storms looking set to bring the British heatwave to an end.
Thursday saw the highest temperature recorded in the UK since 2015, with Wisley in Surrey hitting 35.1C (95.2F), and the mercury could still soar to a stifling 37C (98.6F) on Friday.
The hot weather and very high afternoon temperatures have led to an amber warning for thunderstorms valid from 2pm to 8pm in the East Midlands and East of England on Friday.