LIGHTNING illuminated the sky in the early hours of this morning as severe thunder storms hit parts of Essex.

Student storm chaser Shantelle Robinson, 21, captured the multiple lightning strike in Clacton.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Photo: Shantelle Robinson got this picture from her Go Pro at about 3am

Using a GoPro camera, which was mounted on the dashboard of her car, she also managed to snap several photographs of the "mesoscale convective system" storm.

Shantelle explained what residents saw and heard last night was a "complex array of thunderstorms" which are larger than usual.

She said: "It was one of the best storms I have seen in several years.

"Overall from France to the South East of England, I believe there were well over 100,000 strikes in total."

Shantelle's at-home weather station measured 7.4mm of rain - the same amount as for the entire month of April - and a maximum wind gust of 22mph.

She said: "It was just enough just to blow a few bins over or unsecured garden items.

"I started in Chelmsford then left to film in Boreham from around 11.30pm and stopped filming in Clacton at around 3.30am.

"It was a long storm storm and rather slow moving along the coast.

"Luckily it didn't go fully inland as there could have been property damage, possible fires and power outages."

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Photo: Shantelle Robinson

Looking ahead, can residents expect more of the same tonight?

"Any lightning tonight definitely won't be as large as last night but I wouldn't rule out any smaller cells that might pop up due to daytime heating," Shantelle predicts.

Were you woken up by the storm? Send us your photos to cf.gazette@nqe.com.