Police telephone services are disrupted today after a lightning strike on a mast at its Exeter HQ

A police spokesman said: "Due to extreme weather conditions this morning a lightning strike has struck a mast at Police HQ Middlemoor.

"This has caused significant disruption to telephony services within the Exeter Control Room.

"As a result in order to keep disruption to a minimum all telephone calls to police will be diverted to the Plymouth control room where they will be answered.

"All 999 calls will be answered as a priority.

The force is asking the public to keep telephone contact to a minimum until normal service is resumed.

Adding: "With public assistance we are confident that these measures will result in minimal disruption to the public and service provision."