Bodyshops in Northern England have received an unlikely seasonal boost in business after a freak hailstorm left many cars damaged.

One of the hottest July days on record caused a storm that produced golf ball sized hail stones that left many cars with dents and smashed windows. Over all around 1700 cars are thought to have been damaged with repair bills expected to reach £1.7 million.

It is also believed that lots of damaged will go unreported to insurers as m