FREAK weather caused undisclosed damage and disruption to nearly 100 properties as lightning and flash floods hit the area.

The fire service had 88 calls in an hour as storms raged through the two counties on Wednesday night.

An estimated £60,000 alone will be needed to repair the roof of Droitwich Spa High School after a bolt of lightning ripped through the timbers of the maths and special education needs blocks.

Headteacher Allan Foulds said: "The lightning caused a small fire. It would have cost a lot more had it not been for the quick response of the fire brigade. The lightning set off the alarm, and our assistant manager, who lives on site, called 999.

"The clean-up is already under way and everything should be back to normal by the start of school on Wednesday, September 6."

This is the second time the weather has caused havoc in the past two months. Flash floods brought misery to hundreds in Worcester when half a month's rainfall fell in 30 minutes on Wednesday, July 5.

SpecSavers in Worcester was hit then, and suffered again this week.

Keeley Jones, contact lens manager at the Broad Street optician, said: "We came in yesterday morning to wade through an inch of water. Thanks to a good team effort, we have been able to offer a minimal service and the building is smelling a little fresher now. We are used to this happening, and although it is a nightmare, we just get on with it."

Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire And Rescue Service, said: "Our resources were stretched. The calls started at 8.30pm and were almost continuous for the next hour and 20 minutes.

"There was the lucky escape for the girl in Fernhill Heath and 87 other incidents, some worse than others. A number of premises were hit by lightning and there were problems with flash floods elsewhere.

"In Sherriff Street, the water blew off a manhole cover and we had to go and put that back. Things like that kept the crews busy."

Meanwhile, the Old Cock Inn in Friar Street, Droitwich, was blacked out by a lightning strike which hurled the TV aerial off the roof.

Worcester News weatherman Paul Damari said there was 30.5mm of rain - 43 per cent of the average rainfall for the whole of August.

Mr Damari said: "Cool Atlantic air and warm tropical air from the south converged right over our area."