Severe hail storms sweep across south-east Queensland with gale-force winds and hailstones the size of golf balls

Australia's Gold Coast has been hit by a heavy storm, sending golf ball-sized hailstones crashing to the ground and causing damage to cars and homes.

Video shows the hailstones plummeting to the ground in a garden. The balls fall with such force that they bounce a few feet up into the air again.

The State Emergency Service has received 350 calls for help after the storm hit in the afternoon with gusts of up to 86 mph.

The Gold Coast experiences substantial summer thunderstorms and heavy showers occasionally lasting up to a few weeks at a time giving locals "the Summer blues".