Lightning, flooding, a SINKHOLE... storms hit Greater Manchester again

Lightning has lit up the sky this morning, while downpours have caused flooding and even a sinkhole to open up.

Storms are battering the region today in Greater Manchester, with deluges in parts of Bury, Oldham and north Manchester. Images from Prestwich show roads completely flooded, with Sheepfoot Lane among the roads flooded by the flash storm.

Meanwhile, another area of the Bury neighbourhood has seen an apparent sinkhole be created on Heywood Road. It is hoped that the weather will improve this afternoon, with sunny spells and drier conditions being forecast.

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Ahead of the downpour, twitter forecasters Oldham Weather tweeted: "Latest radar: Hefty, perhaps thundery, downpours to get through this morning, then an improving picture this afternoon with sunny spells and drier conditions."

The Met Office says: "Scattered heavy showers during this morning, these locally merging into longer periods of rain. Showers increasingly isolated during this afternoon with many places turning sunnier and becoming mainly dry.

"Feeling warmer although still a little breezy. Maximum temperature 20 °C."

However, the rainy weather looks set to be back for more tomorrow (July 18). The Met Office's forecast continues: "Largely cloudy throughout the day with showery rain turning increasingly widespread during the morning.

"Periods of rain during the afternoon, heaviest and most persistent across Cumbria. Turning breezy on coasts. Maximum temperature 19 °C."