A yellow thunderstorm warning has been issued by the Met Office for London and the south east of England.

The warning kicked in first thing this morning (August 25), and is due to last until 3pm today.

The Met Office said delays to train services are possible, and driving conditions are likely to be affected by the rain.

It added there is the possibility of damage to some buildings from lightning strikes, as well as potential flooding of homes and businesses.

The warning comes at the end of a particularly dry summer, with the Met Office saying the UK as a whole has had only 46 per cent of the average total rainfall for August so far.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Environment Agency moved 14 areas in England to drought status, including London.

Water minister Steve Double said at the time that water companies had ensured essential supplies are safe.

He added: “We are better prepared than ever before for periods of dry weather, but we will continue to closely monitor the situation, including impacts on farmers and the environment, and take further action as needed.”