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Hail stones as large as golf balls, flash floods and dazzling lightning brought parts of Birmingham to a standstill during a spectacular late summer storm.

The unseasonal weather caused traffic chaos in Northfield, Kings Norton, Sheldon and Solihull with roads ankle deep in water and the ground covered in a carpet of white hailstones from the blizzard at about 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Below: Hail and rain turns streets into rivers in Northfield

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Residents filmed the cocktail of wintery conditions as the skies turned black before thunderclaps signalled the start of the 30-minute freak storm.

Graham Sweet, of Kings Norton, posted on Facebook that conditions changed from sunshine to storms in just five minutes.

Resident Marian Ware added that her garden was covered with hailstones.

She said: “My grandson was out with a friend in the car and he said he’s never seen anything like in his life.”

Below: Norrington road, Northfield sent in by Kerry Roden

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The monsoon flooded Raven Hays Road in Northfield, while parts of Solihull and Sheldon were badly-affected by the deluge.

Teresa Bennett posted on Facebook: “My mom works at Marks and Spencers in Solihull and she had to walk through quite deep flood water last night to get to her bus stop!!”

The unexpected storms were not predicted although forecasters warned that the region was in the path of a band of heavy showers moving northwards.

It was caused by colder air colliding with the remnants of a front that had moved over the UK from the continent.

Below: Flooding in Northfield sent in by Charlotte Francesca