It may be June but Hythe was pelted with hail yesterday afternoon, drenching those caught out in the five minute burst.

Black clouds had rolled in after 3.30pm with rumbles of thunder echoing about in the distance. It was an isolated strip of cloud, with clear weather on either side.

Sarah Linney, working at Holiday Extras, was shocked by the sudden turn of events: "One minute it was clear and sunny, the next the heavens opened and intensely heavy rain began crashing down. Our office is a big modern building with lots of glass, so we could hear it clattering violently on the roof. Then the clattering became even louder and I looked out of the window and saw hailstones tumbling onto the boardwalk. I just couldn’t believe it - it’s June for goodness’ sake!

"But it was all over as quickly as it started - within five minutes the sun was out again and if it hadn’t been for the wet ground I’d have thought I’d dreamed the whole thing."

Hythe resident Richard Denham was caught out in the hail and found himself unexpectedly drenched, despite standing in sunshine.

He said: "It was very brief and only lasted five minutes. There were claps of thunder in the distance and huge black clous. It’s the June Monsoon - you often get thunderstorms at this time of year and snow up north.

Damage to a building in Hythe after a similar storm last year

"It all cleared away soon after and the sky was bright blue and warm enough to sit outside."

Met Office spokesperson Sarah Holland agreed that it was not unusual, and added: "Things have been a bit topsy turvey at the moment and there was a tornado in Hull on Thursday.

"We have had some very active thunderstorms and there have been some areas of intense low pressure. There was even a fall of snow in the Cairngorms."

This weekend’s weather [June 13 and 14] is expected to be cloudy with light winds and the possiblity of rain, clearing to bright sunshine on Sunday.

If you have any pictures of the hailstorm please call our newsdesk on 01233 623232 or email images to kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk