HAMPSHIRE may be in the middle of a heatwave, but the Met Office has put a dampener on proceedings by forecasting torrential rain.

A weather warning has been issued for the north and east of the county today with Basingstoke predicted to bear the brunt of the rain.

A Met Office statement says: "Isolated thunderstorms possible through the morning period with some low cloud along the coast, before clearing away eastwards as fresher conditions spread from the west.

"Maximum temperature 26C."

The warning is in place from 3am until 8pm on Thursday.