Morning storms leave Kettering commuters dodging rivers in roads and puddles on pavements

Residents in the Kettering area have been left dodging the puddles after an early-morning deluge left rivers in roads and flooded pavements.

A slow-moving thunderstorm with dramatic lightning and persistent rain, much torrential, hitting the area at about 6.45am.

Heading north, the storm barely touched Northampton but Kettering’s drains, brooks and streams have been left full – however, no flood warnings have yet been issued by the Environment Agency.

Cars parked in Lower Street, Kettering were up to their axles in standing water, while people reported Regent Street ‘like a river’.

Rainfall at the official gauge in Dingley has recorded 27.1mm of precipitation since 6am and in Wellingborough 20.9mm has been recorded.

Northamptonshire’s weather watcher, @NNWeather, has tweeted that the storms should move north.

It said: “Rain, some heavy and thundery, through this morning moving away northwards by mid-afternoon with some brighter spells developing. A south-westerly breeze. 15°C.”