LONDON - Hundreds of people were forced from their homes after heavy thunderstorms and torrential rains battered Britain overnight, emergency services said Wednesday

Scotland, central England, and Yorkshire and Cumbria in northern England were among the areas worst hit by the storms, which occurred following two days of scorching weather.

Temperatures reached 30 degrees Celsius in many parts of Britain on Monday. Overnight, some 2.5 inches (65mm) of rain fell in Lincolnshire, central England, and 2.25 inches in Dundee, northern Scotland.

Torrential rain forced 200 guests out of a hotel in Stirlingshire, central Scotland, amid fears that water pouring from a hillside could destabilise the building. In Glasgow, dozens of families were rescued by boat after water flooded their homes. The storms also affected public transport. Tens of thousands of Scottish rail passengers faced massive disruption as they headed to work.

Glasgow's main Queen Street station was not expected to reopen until midday over fears of a landslip in the tunnel. In West Yorkshire, around 200 people were evacuated from their homes after the River Colne burst its banks. West Yorkshire Fire Service said many residents spent part of the night in a working men's club because of flooding.

Copyright 2002 AFP & WeatherOnline