In Newcastle, floods bring chaos to city

In the North-east, thunder storms and heavy rain led to flash flooding yesterday, causing severe disruption on the region's roads and rail networks.

Commuters faced severe delays as two sections of the Metro line in Tyne and Wear were closed.

Lightning struck equipment on the line between Pelaw and South Shields, causing a power surge that prevented signals from working for 30 minutes.

In County Durham a man had to be rescued by emergency services after a bridge collapsed into a house in Rowley Bank, near Castleside.

North of the Tyne, passengers faced further difficulty when flooding in the North Shields tunnel delayed trains between Tynemouth and North Shields.

Last night police advised drivers to avoid using the A68, after the Met Office issued a severe weather warning across the region. Rainfall of up to 50mm is predicted in several areas.