STORMY weather which has been lashing the region is expected to continue over the weekend.Electrical storms swept across the region yesterday causing damage to three homes after they were struck by lightning.

STORMY weather which has been lashing the region is expected to continue over the weekend.

Electrical storms swept across the region yesterday causing damage to three homes after they were struck by lightning.

Four fire crews were called to The Ridgeway in Harwich after lightning hit two semi-detached houses during storms last night.

Firefighters from Dovercourt, Weeley and Clacton were sent shortly after 7pm to tackle a resulting fire which was brought under control by 7.50pm.

Earlier a house in Chelmsford was struck by lightning causing a chimney stack to collapse. Three Chelmsford based fire crews attended Barnaby Rudge at around 10.45am and used an aerial ladder platform to make the structure secure before removing debris and declaring the house safe at 12.30pm.

The thunder and lightning is expected to carry on today and into Sunday, with brief sunny intervals the only respite from the rain.

Barometers aren't likely to tip further than 17C and the sun will be largely obscured by grey cloud, with rain predicted for the next few days.

Lightning battered Ipswich and the surrounding area overnight on Thursday in the latest of the summer storms to pass over the town.

The rough conditions do not bode well for holidaymakers travelling to the coast for weekend breaks or for the thousands of music-lovers braving the elements in Southwold for this year's Latitude festival.

Yesterday a tree caught fire in a Suffolk village after it was struck by lightning.

Fire fighters were called to the scene in Mill Lane, Great Blakenham, at around 1.10pm.

A crew from Needham Market and a crew from Ipswich's Colchester Road headquarters had the fire under control by 1.56pm.