FLASH flooding has hit Bradford this afternoon (Monday) after a severe thunderstorm brought heavy downpours which battered the region in just a short space of time.

At around 4pm lightning and thunder crashed and heavy rain and pea-sized hail hit a number of areas in Bradford.

The flash flooding has been so severe, the M606 was blocked to traffic and people parked in The Broadway shopping centre have been unable to enter or exit the car park.

On The Broadway's Facebook page, they posted: "Due to severe weather and for health and safety reasons, cars are unable enter or exit the car park. We will give an update once we have more information."

One person posted on Facebook about The Broadway flooding, saying: "The shops at the bottom of The Broadway are all flooded.

"Currently sat in The Broadway car park waiting for the fire engines to extract the water.

"The entrance and exit of the car park in flooded. No one is allowed to leave or enter.

"Horrendous. What a Bank Holiday it has been."

However, just before 6pm The Broadway reported the car park had re-opened.

One traffic alert reported that "Hall Ings both ways closed due to flooding from Chapel Street to Drake Street".

A Facebook post from The Broadway on Monday evening said: "The police, National Highways and Yorkshire Water have closed Hall Ings until further notice.

"This may impact the ability to use the car park tomorrow. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause."

A statement from Bradford Council added: "Please be aware we are dealing with a number of flooding incidents in the city centre and other local areas.

"Some road closures and diversions are in place."

According to the council, the following roads are closed:

• The bottom of Leeds Road at the junction with Shipley Airedale Road.
• Leeds Road at the junction with Bridge Street.
• The junction with Vicar Lane and Bridge Street.
• There is also flooding around Thornbury roundabout.

"Please try and avoid these areas and take extra care," said the council.

Residents across the city have spoken out about their shock about the flash flooding and severe weather.

"The road is broken," said one woman about flooding on Vicar Lane by the Job Centre. "We got hit by it all. The cones were all floating around the road. It was flooding the road really quickly.

"I've just driven through city," said one man. "I would avoid it. It's flooded."

Another traffic alert reported: "M606 both ways blocked, queueing traffic due to flooding at Junction 3 A6177 Rooley Lane (Staygate Roundabout). Congestion to J2 (Euroway Trading Estates). Ongoing since around 4:40. The motorway is now blocked in both directions."

"I was stuck on the M606,” said one man. "All traffic Bradford bound was stopped at Staithgate."

Another person said: "It was really bad in East Bowling. Our road is flooded after they just put in flood grates Sheridan Street."

One man who lives at Odsal also told the T&A about about the heavy rain and hail that covered the ground.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Hail this afternoon left Odsal looking like mid-winterHail this afternoon left Odsal looking like mid-winter (Image: UGC)

In a post by Northern on X, formerly Twitter, "Due to heavy rain flooding the railway between Halifax and Bradford Interchange the line is blocked.

"Services running through these stations will be delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised."

Lines have now reopened between Halifax and Bradford Interchange, says National Rail, but disruption between Harrogate and Leeds due to flooding at Horsforth will last until the end of the day.