Skies over Dorset were lit up by hundreds of lightning strikes a second last night.

More than 14,000 strikes were recorded across the country in just two hours last night.

Amateur weather enthusiast Jim Smith recorded 8.2mm of rainfall in one hour in Springbourne.

He said: "Radar image returns suggest that 18-22mm fell in parts of the conurbation. That is the nature of storms. Falls of rain and hail can be very localised.

View the Gallery of dramatic images sent in by our Daily Echo readers

"The storm itself blew up out of nothing, beginning near the Channel Islands around 10pm, intensifying very quickly as it approached the South Coast.

"It was a much more intense lightning storm than the July 22 2006 event – the 'darkness at midday one' . The only one I can think of that was this intense electrically, was June 5 1983 (the Sunday before that year’s general election), which was also a daytime storm, and produced large hail over many parts of Poole."

 


 

 

 

Reader Jane Dean took the above video of the storms in Highcliffe

 

Residents in Ashley Cross, Ferndown and Winton reported flash floods as the storms swept in.

On Winton High Street cars had to be pushed out of flood water, and there were fires reported in the New Forest as the lightning hit.

 

 

Kristian Ward sent the above video of the floods at Ashley Cross

 


 

 


 


Firefighters from the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service handled more than 120 calls in just two hours during the storm.

Lightning strikes have also been reported, with the roof of a Winton home going up in flames because of the storm.

 

Bournemouth Echo:

 

Mike Tutt took the above shot in Green Road, Winton.

He said: "It was quite a show and felt like it passed overhead."

Bournemouth Echo:

 

Reader Arthur Yeung took the above picture. 

"The dark sky was lit by lightning like fireworks across the whole of Bournemouth," he said

"The sparks were first behind the clouds, then struck through and then landed somewhere.

"The storm managed to sweep out of the town within 15 mins and I had to chase it through my three windows from the front, the side and the back."

Bournemouth Echo:

 

Vince Gittins sent the above picture of the road outside the Goods Yard in Broadstone. “The storm created a river flowing down the street, pub goers stranded for over an hour. I think people were ok with that,” he said.

 

Bournemouth Echo:

 

Anita Andrade sent the above picture of Ringwood Road, Poole, taken between 11.30pm and midnight.

“The huge amounts of rain caused Ringwood Road to inundate and create a river in the middle of the road,” she said.

“A car broke down because of how deep the water was. The cars that were driving by were throwing water into front gardens and possibly into houses.

“The fish and chips shop owners started to worry as they saw huge amounts of water threatening to go into the building as this is located below the road level.

“As the water level decreased, I could see that a man-hole was opened due to the force of the water and was causing disruption to the traffic.”

 

 

Reader Nick Smith sent the above video of lightning at St Catherine's Hill, Christchurch.

 

Bournemouth Echo: Fun watching Thunder Storm turns to flood panic.

 

Reader Stephen Heppenstall sent the above picture from Ringwood Road. 

He said: "We spent a fun evening watching the awesome thunderstorm outside the front of our house in Ringwood Road. Suddenly I realised that the front drive was starting to flood as the drains were overfilling.

“Then to make matters worse the water started to flow over the front door into the hallway. As well as that, the water flooded through the back door, covering our utility room in a couple of inches of water.”

And in Kinson the roof awning of the Prama shop on Wimborne Road was blown to the ground. 

Bournemouth Echo:

Neighbour Mike Edwards, who runs nearby Ellie's Doll Workshop, said the owners have been unable to access the property this morning because the front entrance is blocked. 

 

Bournemouth Echo:

Reader Keith Fleming, of Farcroft Road, Parkstone, took the above picture of damage to Cranbrook Road, Parkstone.

He said: "This shows the shear power of storm water! These shots were taken Saturday morning after the night's storms and show a whole section of road surface, including this iron manhole, lifted and displaced."

In Palmerston Road, also in Parkstone, resident Alvin Mennie said a number of homes have experienced flash flooding. He said water levels reached around two feet in some properties. 

 

Flash flooding has closed the B3073 Ham Lane at Canford Bottom both ways.

The stretch is shut between the roundabout and the Stapehill Road junction because of the amount of standing water on the road.

Bournemouth Echo:

 

A 400-year-old oak tree was also struck by lightning in Anchor Road, Bear Cross, during the storm.

A 12-foot branch was snapped from the tree, on land to the back of Theresa McGroarty's land, as the storm raged.

Ms McGroarty said: "I heard a loud crack, but I assumed it was just the thunder and lightning.

"But it was actually the tree getting hit. A huge branch is just about hanging on this morning."

Bournemouth Echo:

You can send your pictures and video to newsdesk@bournemouthecho.co.uk.