DAMAGE to buildings around York was still being assessed after flooding and heavy storms across York last night.

Coppergate in York was closed this morning after the Urban Outfitters store was hit by lightning in last night’s storms.

The roof of the shop, which also has an entrance in Ousegate, was damaged in the strike, while the branch of Waterstones a few doors down suffered some damage in the storm.

An employee at the store, who could not be named, said: “The shop hasn’t been hit by lightning but had some water damage, so part of the shop is cordoned off.

“Some stock was water damaged in certain sections, and part of the ceiling has fallen, so we can’t let people into the Travel section and part of Fiction.”

Stores in the Coppergate Centre remain open for business with pedestrian access from Castlegate and the Castle car park, but Coppergate is closed to traffic to allow inspections of the damage to be carried out.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service crews were called to a number of small flooding incidents in York including in Acomb and Rufforth, and some people were rescued from a car in Water Lane after it became stuck in floodwater.

Meanwhile, thousands of festivalgoers camping at the Leeds Festival site at Bramham Park, endured the heavy rain, thunder and lightning throughout the night, with more rain expected over the weekend.

Jack Nelson, 16, travelled to the site with friends yesterday, and said the weather had ruined several peoples’ tents, with up to six inches of mud in parts of the festival site.

Jack said: “We went to the tent straight away and the rain was coming in and flooded out tent and quite a lot of other tents around us. I think it happened to a lot of other people. A lot have had to buy new tents on site. Ambulances were going through all night, because people were fainting and falling in the mud.

“Looking at the centre of all the camp sites, they are trying to pump the water out but it’s just not going anywhere. I didn’t expect it to be like this, everyone’s complaining.”

Forecasters predict more heavy rainfall tonight with showers tomorrow.

 

Send your storm pictures and reports to newsdesk@thepress.co.uk

 

More video footage of last night's storm

 

Reader's video of the storm, filmed in Monkgate, York