A RETIRED air force officer thought his house had been hit by a bomb when he returned to find it had been hit by lightning. Jack Sydenham, 78, returned home to find plaster scattered through his house and his TV, telephone and central heating wrecked. A flash of lightning struck the Biggin Hill home around noon last Wednesday, electrifying metal lining in the house's structure.

The charge blew chunks of plaster across the Sunningvale Avenue house. Mr Sydenham said: "There were great lumps of plaster throughout the house. It is fortunate my wife and I were not home at the time." Mr Sydenham's wife Felicity, 68, said: "The plaster must have travelled at tremendous force. Luckily we weren't in the home during the strike, it could have given us both heart attacks. "The incident has made me very aware of the power of lightning. I know I am not so safe in my house any more."

It took more than two hours toa clean the debris.

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