Sheffield mum’s house hit by lightning as family sat down for Chinese takeaway
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Amy Pickford was just about to enjoy a Chinese takeaway with her husband, Alan, when their six-year-old town house on the Brearley Forge development in Parson Cross was struck by lightning.
The strike illuminated their house, there was a huge bang and then the power was cut off.
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Hide AdAmy, aged 27, said she was amazed that the lightning strike did not wake their two young children, aged two and five.
The incident was reported to the fire service for safety checks to be carried out and the couple’s insurance firm was also notified.
Despite no obvious structural or fire damage, it is feared that electrical items may have been damaged, with TVs in the property no longer working.
The lightning strike was captured by a Sheffield resident filming the storm on his phone.
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Amy, a full time mum who home educates her eldest child, said: “Our takeaway had just been delivered in the hail so we knew how bad the storm was and we were just taking the lids off the food when there was a flash, a huge bang and the power went off.
“The strike lit up the house and I’m surprised the children didn’t wake up with the noise and when I screamed at the bang, but they slept through it all. Our youngest only woke up when the firemen arrived to check the house and went into the loft.
“We could not believe that we had been hit and also that someone managed to capture the exact moment on their phone.
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Hide Ad“We were lucky that that there wasn’t any serious damage, it could have been worse.”
In Blackpool, a nine-year-old boy died after he was hit by lightning while playing football yesterday.
Detective Superintendent Nick Connaughton, of Lancashire Police, said: “This is a truly devastating incident and our thoughts are wholeheartedly with the family and friends of the young boy, who has passed away, at this very sad and distressing time.”