Umbrellas were a necessary accessory as rain lashed several parts of the UK on Wednesday.

Storms were forecast to get heavier later in the day, with the Met Office warning of torrential downpours and a yellow warning for thunderstorms across East Anglia and the Midlands into the evening.

In Cambridge, the bad weather didn’t keep tourists away from the punts on the River Cam.

Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Joe Giddens/PA)

The first day of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s was washed out before a ball had been bowled.

England v Australia – Second Test – Day One – 2019 Ashes Series – Lord’s
(Mike Egerton/PA)
England v Australia – Second Test – Day One – 2019 Ashes Series – Lord’s
(Mike Egerton/PA)
England v Australia – Second Test – Day One – 2019 Ashes Series – Lord’s
(Mike Egerton/PA)
England v Australia – Second Test – Day One – 2019 Ashes Series – Lord’s
(Mike Egerton/PA)
England v Australia – Second Test – Day One – 2019 Ashes Series – Lord’s
(Mike Egerton/PA)

In Windsor, queues for the castle were forced under cover.

Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)
Summer weather August 14th 2019
(Steve Parsons/PA)

And in Staffordshire, the rain fell on guests at the National Memorial Arboretum as the Royal British Legion marked the 50th anniversary of the UK Armed Forces’ deployment in Northern Ireland.

50th anniversary of Operation Banner
(Jacob King/PA)