A ROOF was damaged and phone lines were fried after lightning struck a house in Hatch Warren.

The damage occurred in the storm that took place in the early hours of Wednesday, 19 July.

At around 2:30am, a bolt of lightning crashed into a house in Chatsworth Green, Hatch Warren.

The chimney of the property was also damaged, with pieces of the chimney landing in the garden of a next-door neighbour as the force struck the property. No one is thought to have been injured.

The Gazette attempted to talk to the residents of the house but was unable to reach them for comment.

Another resident on the street, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke about the experience.

He said: “There was an almighty bang and everyone was looking to see what had happened. It was so loud that we thought that something had happened to our house. The emergency services were round quick and made sure that everything was alright. Even though lightning and this kind of weather can be interesting to look at, it is a reminder just how dangerous it can be.”

The damage continued to be felt throughout the next week, as the telephone line in the street stopped working after the lightning hit, and still was not working when The Gazette visited on Tuesday, 25 July.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident and a spokesman said: “A crew from Basingstoke attended a house that had been damaged by a lightning bolt to help make the scene safe and salvage contents. They used salvage equipment and small tools.”