In many parts of central and eastern Europe, violent thunderstorms yesterday brought an end to the spell of extreme heat.

The hot, humid air created ideal conditions for severe thunderstorms, bringing frequent lightning strikes, large hailstones, heavy rain, damaging winds, and even tornadoes.

There was damage and travel disruption in some areas, caused, amongst other things, by flooded roads, landslides, and fallen trees.

Today, there will be further thunderstorms, some of which may be severe, mainly from Italy across the Balkans to Ukraine. Meanwhile, sunnier and more settled summer weather is set to prevail in western and central Europe.