BEXLEY AND NORTH KENT: Hailstorm brings the big chill to flaming June

The scene in Gravel Hill, Bexleyheath, on Saturday afternoon which looked more like midwinter than midsummer.

In fact it was the aftermath of a heavy hailstorm which coated the area in lumps of ice.

There was a similar picture in other parts of Bexley and north Kent, including Crayford.

Kevin May, who lives in Tredegar Road, Wilmington, says hailstone the size of large marbles caused holes to appear in his conservatory roof.

The 45-year-old father-of-four said: “It had been getting darker all afternoon and suddenly there was this big bang.

“Rain was slamming and shooting down.

“In over 40 years I have never seen anything like it.”

The nursing agency manager added: “There were massive rain drops accompanied with small and large bits of hailstone, they were like large marbles.

“There are holes in our conservatory roof about the size of a penny or 2p piece.”

He said: “We were quite excited, it was amazing to be a part of.

“Water was running down our road, it was like a real river.”

Wilmington councillor Derek Hunnisett also had damage to his conservatory.

He said: “It was like a machine gun had run down the roof, the hailstone was like bullets in the window panes.

“It’s caused lots of damage to people’s conservatories, green houses, and cars have been dented too.

“There are 12 households I’m aware of who are considering insurance claims, and I’m one of those.”

Cllr Hunnisett, of Rowlatt Close, Wilmington, says people’s gardens and plants have been obliterated.

He said: “It’s as if a strimmer has cut through the plants.

“My wife’s allotment has been totally washed away.”

Runners in the Cancer Research relay for life at Central Park in Dartford also experienced the extreme weather.

Ian Macknelly, who helped organise the event, said: “We had a carpet of hailstone, enough to make the ground appear white.

“Some cars got damaged, everybody got severely soaked.

“People weren’t prepared for extreme weather.”