Watch the lone surfer braving the sea and hear the wind and rain, as autumn rolls into South Shields, with weather forecasters predicting a wet week for the North East as summer comes to an end

Wind and thick cloudy swept into the borough this afternoon, bringing with it heavy rain.

At the coast, beaches which had been packed just days ago with families and dog walkers found themselves almost deserted.

But at least one brave soul was undeterred by the wet weather, opting for a solo surf at Sandhaven Beach, instead of staying inside.

According to the Met Office, the town is set to see thunder and lightening tonight (Tuesday, September 6), before drying out tomorrow (Wednesday, September 7).

But cloud is still set to dominate, before the rain makes a return on Thursday (September 8).

Friday is also expected to be dominated by drizzle, although there is the possibility of a final blast of summer on Saturday, when forecasters have predicted temperatures could peak at 17°C on what is expected to be a largely sunny day.