Lightning strikes have caused disruption across Bournemouth and Poole with a community centre, jet and the Twin Sails Bridge all hit during bad weather. 

Bearwood Community Centre was struck by lightning as a number of classes took place on Wednesday morning.

People in the area reported hearing a loud bang when the lightning strike took place.

There is damage to the roof as well as a line of brickwork with between eight and ten cars also damaged by falling bricks. 

Windscreens and bonnets were dented and smashed following the barrage of debris caused after lightning struck the gable end of the community centre.

A visible line of where the lightning hit has been left in the wall. 

Ward Cllr and vice chairman of the community association, David Brown, said approximately 20 people were in the building at the time though no people were injured but left a little shaken.

"I got a call about 10.30am to say there was a bit of an emergency where lightning had struck the building," he said.

"We have had to evacuate the building and cancel all bookings over the next few days."

He said between eight to 10 cars were damaged during the incident as bricks and roof tiles were blown across the car park as far as the adjacent co-op food store.

Chantal Winfield, who lives opposite the community centre, said: “The bang was so loud that it sounded like a bomb going off. The electricity went off in our houses for a little while and the centre’s alarm was sounding.

“I went to check on an elderly neighbour and he said he had seen a flash and thought a bomb had gone off. Part of the roof has come off and police have put a cordon up.”

Jill Brewer and around 10 other people had just finished an exercise class at the centre when lightning struck.

She told the Daily Echo: “We were just having a cup of tea at about 10.20am when there was a huge bang and a flash. It sounded like a bomb had gone off and it set off the alarm."

“When we looked outside we could see debris on cars in the car park and when we went out we realised it was tiles from the roof. I think the cars might belong to people who were shopping in the Co-op."

“There is a big hole in the roof of the community centre now. I thought I had better get out of there so I went home."

A spokesman for Dorset Fire and Rescue said: “The building has been struck by lightning and crews are there at the moment with assistance from an aerial platform.

“They are currently checking the roof space for fire.”

The Twin Sails Bridge in Poole was stuck in the upright position after it was damaged during a downpour.

The storm hit the area around 10.30am bring with it hail stones, lightning and strong winds.

A traffic barrier on the bridge was damaged as a result, causing it to get stuck in the upright position.

The bridge was back in operation by 2.15pm. 

A jet was forced to return to Bournemouth Airport after it was struck by lightning.

The Falcon 20, operated by Cobham Aviation Services, was taking part in a routine training exercise when the strike occurred.

“Planes have equipment on them designed to cope with anything like this happening and the plane landed perfectly normally and successfully with no injuries to any of the crew” said a Cobham spokesman.

Dorset Weather Live tweeted that 163 lightning strikes have been recorded over England over the last few hours. 

More follows.