Shopper films Tesco roof collapsing and water pouring into aisles as thunderstorms batter UK
Flash floods hit Scotland as parts of country soaked by half a month’s rain in just a few hours
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Your support makes all the difference.The roof of a Tesco supermarket collapsed and 14 people were rescued by boat from a flood-stricken rugby club as torrential downpours hit the UK.
Footage filmed by a customer showed ceiling panels falling off as rainwater poured into the fruit and vegetable aisles of the shop in Stirling, central Scotland.
The supermarket was evacuated on Monday evening and remained shut the following day.
Elsewhere in the city, firefighters rescued 14 people from Stirling County Rugby Club after they were stranded by flash flooding.
A spokesperson for Stirling Fire Station said a water rescue team was sent to the club at 8.45pm on Monday and everyone was “fit and well” after being helped to safety by boat.
Flooding also forced the closure of several roads and schools in the city on Tuesday.
Hollie King, 19, shared a video online which showed water gushing down Baker Street in Stirling’s town centre as she remained trapped in a friend’s flat.
“I nearly got hit by a bin because they were all flying down the hill,” she said. “One of the men that works in an ice cream shop across the road was chasing his tables and mop and plants down the street because they just got washed away.
In Edinburgh, torrential rain on Monday caused severe floods and long delays to many travel routes in the Scottish capital. Several roads were shut and tram services were suspended.
Flooding and train cancellations also hit parts of England at the start of a week in which temperatures are expected to rise above 30C.
Almost half a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours in some areas on Tuesday morning, with Kent and Sussex soaked by the heaviest downpours.
Localised flooding was reported across the southeast as commuters set off to work.
Rail operator Southern reported that all lines from Brighton through to Haywards Heath were temporarily blocked due to the heavy rain and flooding on the tracks, with some passengers delayed by more than an hour.
Coastal areas were the worst hit by downpours, but 8mm of rain in London also caused minor flooding on some roads.
The thunderstorms were fuelled and carried to UK shores by a plume of warm air coming in from continental Europe, which is now baking in a heatwave that could bring record-breaking temperatures to France, Spain and Belgium.
Peak temperatures across much of England later this week are predicted to be well above 20C, with the forecast for Glastonbury Festival looking dry and sunny.
Public Health England warned the heat could pose a health risk to the elderly and people with underlying conditions.
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