Hailstorm smashes car windscreens on motorway in Italy

A violent hailstorm brought traffic to a standstill on one of Italy’s main motorways, injuring a number of people and smashing car windows.

The storm hit part of the northern stretch of the road between Milan and Naples, which runs for almost 500 miles – and saw people cowering in their cars from the violent hail.

Hundreds of cars were affected by the unusual weather, with flooding and extreme heatwaves across Europe this summer suggesting the effects of climate change are already being felt.