EDITOR'S CHOICE NEWS Options announced for Beaconsfield's last major redevelopment Wycombe laces up its trainers for annual race Hughenden seeks countryside recruits SPORT Chesham swoop for international Narks miss out on County title Skiers hit the slopes INTERVIEWS "Street dance is about the music" Artist selected again for Royal Academy show Aristrocratic memoirs COMPETITIONS Win Disney/Pixar WALL•E game for Wii Win tickets for A Swell Party or Gershwin and Friends Addicks and Eagles mascot competition VOTE Is it fair to detain terror suspects for 42 days without charge? Yes No GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 TV wildlife presenter in climbing accident 2 Wycombe laces up its trainers for annual race 3 Options announced for Beaconsfield's last major redevelopment 4 Police wear crime cameras 5 Hughenden seeks countryside recruits 6 Woman runs marathon out of sympathy 7 Man assaulted outside Wycombe Railway Station 8 Body discovered in Penn 9 Firefighters called to suspected fuel leak 10 Home-grown author appears at Waterstone's Today | 7 Days 1 Schools chief's fury over SATS "disgrace" 2 Workers picket council offices 3 Boy racers could have cars seized 4 Woman, 21, punched after car collision 5 Banger off on 10,000 mile journey 6 Expenses revealed for south Bucks MPs 7 Staff walk out at two councils 8 Police death probe: findings 'next week' 9 Hunt for bright orange raid car 10 Police wear crime cameras

A LIGHTNING bolt started a blaze in Bourne End and knocked out electrical equipment across the village on Sunday morning.

The electrical cupboard in Michael and Di Hutton's house in New Road was set alight by a power surge after the lightning struck their power cables and travelled through underground wires.

Mr Hutton used a dry powder fire extinguisher to tackle flames leaping two feet high from the cupboard under the stairs.

Mr Hutton said: "I was working at my computer when I heard a bang. I ran through the kitchen and there was another almighty bang and then a flash."

Beaconsfield Fire Station watch manager Kevyn Stigwood said: "According to the electricity board the lightning came into contact with the power line and sent a surge to the fuse board and meter in the cupboard under the stairs setting them on fire."

The lightning also struck the Collier Nursey at the top of New Road, destroying its computer and cutting its phone lines.

In Bourne End High Street, Les Davis saw the lightning bolt from behind the counter in Village Home Hardware. He said: "The bolt caught the corner of my eye showing up against the grey clouds. Two or three seconds later there was a clap of thunder so strong it made the shop shake and my customers came to the desk to ask if there was something wrong."

Southern Electric is working in the area to deal with electrical problems.

1:00pm Tuesday 28th November 2006

Print

Email this