Post-heatwave storm brings flash floods causing widespread disruption

Flash flooding has caused travel chaos in parts of England as thunderstorms dumped almost half a month's rain in some parts overnight.

A train from Milton Keynes to Euston has derailed near Watford Junction, injuring two people.

The worst-hit areas are across the east, south and south-east of England which all have amber warnings in place, according to the Met Office.

Commuters have been warned of severe disruption with more rain on the way.

Live updates on flash flooding

Train derailed by landslide

For key updates see BBC Weather and BBC Travel.The disruption includes:

• The derailment of the London Midland 06:19 BST service from Milton Keynes to Euston near Watford Junction
• All London Midland services cancelled out of Euston until further notice
• Reports of lightning striking houses in multiple locations including Bracknell, Caversham, and Bournemouth
• Waterlogged rail stations and roads, including Didcot Parkway, Newbury and Chieveley stations across Oxfordshire
• Major delays on the M25, M4 and M40 due to flooding
• A report that people are trapped in their houses in one flooded street in Oxfordshire
• Thousands of homes across the country without power
• Reports of fire service at maternity ward in Wallingford.

  Major disruption'

  The Met Office issued an amber weather warning, the second highest alert, for the East of England, London and the South East.
  There is the the potential for "exceptionally large amounts of rain within a few hours" with frequent lightning and hail as additional hazards, forecasters said.
  Whilst there remains some uncertainty about developments and areas affected, there could be major disruption, it added.

  'Panicked'

  Mashood Shah, who lives at Walton Terrace in Woking, described the moment water came pouring under his front door around midnight.
  "My mum just said 'the water's all coming in' she was panicking. I had my wellington boots by the bed.
  "I put them on and I came rushing down. I told my little brother 'stay up there, I will pass you everything'
  "The water came nearly to the top of my wellington boots."
  He said sand bags were dropped off by the council about seven hours later.

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  Met Office meteorologist Martin Combe said 32.8mm of rain had fallen in just three hours in Farnborough, Hampshire - nearly half the 70mm average for September.
  He said: "The showers and thunderstorms are going to carry on for quite some time moving slowly north and eastwards, remaining around London through the morning and all afternoon in East Anglia.
  "They will eventually clear off to the east, but it will be cool behind them. While it won't be any colder than average it is going to feel a lot cooler than it has been."