Spectacular lightning storms have been seen in UK skies on Thursday night and Friday.

More than 3,000 strikes were recorded in just two hours early on Friday, and many UK people awoke to loud thunder and torrential rain.

Here are some of the images taken of the storms.

Image copyright Richard Boll Image caption The storms arrived on UK shores from the south - and Richard Boll took this photograph of lightning striking the English Channel off Hove in Sussex.

Image copyright Sophia McQue Image caption Lightning also struck the sea behind Brighton Palace Pier, where Sophia McQue captured a series of images.

Image copyright Adam Sprague Image caption Lightning struck numerous locations in the south of England. Adam Sprague took this picture in St Austell, Cornwall.

Image copyright Derek Liversidge Image caption The storms moved north during the night, and Derek Liversidge captured this image at Calne in Wiltshire.

Image copyright Steven Shears Image caption Steven Shears took this picture of the skies over Crawley, West Sussex.

Image copyright Chris Stretton Image caption Chris Stretton captured the moment lightning struck several buildings at once in Gloucester at about 01:45 BST.

Image copyright @MPSINTHESKY Image caption A Metropolitan Police helicopter took this picture as one storm approached London. The helicopter later landed to avoid the severe weather.

Image copyright Justin Stokes Image caption Many people in London took pictures of the lightning. Justin Stokes photographed this dramatic scene over Canary Wharf.

Image copyright Ashley Williams Image caption Ashley Williams took this picture of a lightning strike in Swansea.