"Torrential and thundery" showers are expected to hit Swindon and parts of Wiltshire this weekend, the Met Office is warning.

The agency has issued a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms on Saturday, which covers Swindon and all of Wiltshire further north than the A303.

The warning stretches across most of central England, including Wales, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Bristol and London.

While many areas are forecast to remain largely dry, storms with heavy rain and hail are likely to develop in parts of the county on Saturday, from 2pm until 9pm.

The Met Office has warned there is a “small chance” homes and businesses could be rapidly flooded during these storms, while buildings may be vulnerable to floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

It says that high temperatures developing are expected to trigger a scattering of showers, "some of which are likely to be torrential and thundery, bringing 30-40mm in an hour".

"The odd place affected by multiple showers could see more than this, perhaps in excess of 60mm," the warning reads. "As well as rain, hail, strong gusts of wind, and lightning will be additional hazards.

"Despite all of this, many places in the warning area will remain dry, or only see small amounts of rain, due to the well scattered nature of the heaviest showers."

On Wednesday, the UK Health and Security Agency, based at Porton Down, issued a yellow heat health alert for much of England, which runs from Friday until Monday.