A POPULAR Worcester gym has been forced into temporary closure after the building was gutted by the freak weather.

Life of Leisure, in Bromyard Road, has shut the doors after half the ceiling to the gymnasium fell through during the storms last night.

The inside of the gym filled with three inches of rain, prompting a decision to close it down for "at least the next few days".

Gym bosses are considering allowing members to use the Life of Leisure club based in Alcester Street in Redditch, but have yet to make a decision this afternoon.

The next nearest club for members is the Redditch branch, but due to the distance there is no reciprocal agreement already in place.

David Selman, of Life of Leisure, said: "Half the ceiling is on the floor and there must be two or three inches of rain water inside the building.

"I expected a few tiles to have come off, but it's really bad and at this moment it is unforeseeable when it will re-open.

"I've been pictures of the gym and the damage looks horrific. We are waiting on assessors and a roofing company before we go any further.

"We've had lots of calls from members to the Redditch branch, asking when it will re-open and we will communicate that information to them as soon as we can.

"We plan to update them by putting a note on the door and a message on the telephone system."

Storms last night battered the county, with one month's rainfall for the whole of July falling in just one hour.

Fire fighters were stretched to the limit after the service had more than 300 calls during a six hour spell between 8pm and midnight.

The freak rain and wind has already been likened to a "mini Bocastle" by Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, in reference to the Cornwall storms which damaged more than 50 properties