Your photos: Dramatic lightning seen around the countrypublished at 13:03 BST
13:03 BST
The hot weather has ushered thunderstorms into the UK, sparking dramatic displays of lightning around the country.
As of 10:00 this morning, more than 63,000 lightning strikes had been recorded in a 24-hour period, the Met Office says.
A second lightning storm in five days was in the west of England, with one strike causing a fire at a nursing home in Glastonbury.
Image source, Matthew HarrisImage caption,
Lightning turned the sky purple above the River Avon in Bristol
Around 32,000 lightning strikes have been seen in Scotland in the last 24 hours.
The thundery weather came after Scotland recorded its hottest day of the year on Thursday, with temperatures peaking at 31.2C in Threave, Dumfries and Galloway.
Image source, BBC Weather Watchers – Alice EImage caption,
Thunderstorms and heavy rain were seen in Edinburgh
Similar displays were also seen in the island of Ireland as many watched in awe as almost 9,000 strikes lit up the skies, during a “once-in-a-lifetime” experience, one resident said.
A dramatic lightning display lasted more than an hour and was witnessed mostly in Counties Londonderry and nearby Donegal, in the Republic of Ireland.
Image source, Patryk SadowskiImage caption,
The skies above the county of Londonderry on Thursday night
Over in Wales, lightning forked and tore across the sky in Pembrokeshire.
Wales recorded its hottest June day and highest temperature of the year so far on Thursday when 35.9C was recorded in Bute Park, Cardiff.
Image source, Debra AngelImage caption,
Lightning forks in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Orange lightning strikes were also seen close to Mont Orgueil Castle in Jersey in the Channel Islands.
Image source, Andrew BattersbyImage caption,
Lightning over Mont Orgueil Castle in Gorey, Jersey