UK weather forecast: Two-day thunderstorm warning in place as hail and heavy rain to batter country

Britons are braced for two days of thunderstorms as hail and torrential rain is set to lash much of southern England from today.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued across the south-east, East Anglia and parts of the Midlands for Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Met Office said thunderstorms could bring torrential downpours, hail and lightning, with flooding expected to cause disruption on roads.

Southern and eastern England is expected to be the worst hit as the miserable weather sweeps in this afternoon.

It comes after hundreds of homes were evacuated in Lincolnshire after two months of rain fell over two days, causing the River Steeping to burst its banks.

RAF Chinook helicopters dropped an additional 76 tonnes of sand and ballast in the area on Sunday after drafting in 270 one-tonne sandbags in an attempt to repair the bank.

Worcestershire County Cricket club also suffered from the heavy rain as the "predicted flood" forced them to play their fixtures at nearby Kidderminster Cricket Club.

Photographs showed the ground at New Road fully submerged following the downpours.

The Met Office yellow weather warning comes into force at 6pm today and does not end until 9pm on Wednesday.