Isles of Scilly hit with thunder and lightning as temperatures soar to record highs

Britain's searing heatwave came to a spectacular end this morning when some parts of the UK were hit by lightning, thunderstorms and torrential rain.

Householders in the West Country were greeted by dark skies as storms swept in from the Atlantic and struck the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall just after dawn.

Hugh Town in the Isles of Scilly was hit with thunder and lightning and heavy downpours on Tuesday (July 19.)

Footage shows the landscape as fork lightning strikes across the sea.

The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust said: "Relief all around the Isles of Scilly as the sky turned black and we experienced our first downpour for weeks, topping up our freshwater pools and reservoirs, watering our farmland and revitalising our heathlands."

Some West country residents reported a 'burning smell in the air" which some meteorological experts could be from fires burning hundreds of miles away on the continent.

Lightning forks could be seen repeatedly striking the sea in Mount's Bay off Penzance.

Great Western Railway (GWR) reported a lightning strike had hit signalling equipment near Penzance, Cornwall.