Thunderstorm and rain warnings for West Midlands

The yellow weather warning is in place from 01:00 BST on Thursday and lasts for almost 24 hours

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms and heavy rain, covering the whole of the West Midlands.

The warning is in place from 01:00 BST on Thursday and lasts for almost 24 hours.

The Met Office said there was a chance of heavy rain on Thursday morning, followed by thunderstorms and more showers in the afternoon.

It added that the afternoon storms could produce at least 50mm (2in) of rain in 1-2 hours, along with gusty winds, hail, and surface-water flooding.

The Met Office said there was a slight chance of disruption, with possible risks including difficult driving conditions and road closures if flooding occurred.

Check before travelling

The weather service advised people to check road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables if using public transport, before travelling on Thursday.

Its scale for warnings runs from yellow, to amber, to red.

Thursday's yellow warning covers most of England and Wales, including the entire West Midlands region.

It follows a heatwave in many parts of the UK so far this week.

Tuesday was the warmest day of the year so far, with a temperature of 32C recorded at Kew Gardens and Heathrow.