Relief after lightning strikes

"SOMEONE up there has been kind even if they did shove lightning on us."

That was the response today from relieved Liz Magnus who praised firefighters for their quick response after her £1million house was nearly destroyed by a lightning strike.

Mrs Magnus and a friend had been in the property when the bolt hit the building in Red Hill Road, Aldham, near Hadleigh.

Some parts of the house date back to Tudor times but these areas were not affected although the roof was damaged and a bedroom and bathroom were gutted in the fire.

Mrs Magnus had lived in the house since 1983 with her husband Paul, a well-known businessman who runs Magnus Group, a shipping and distribution company.

Mrs Magnus, who was in the house at about 2.30pm yesterday when the incident happened, heard an "almighty bang" before alerting the fire brigade and making sure three dogs, who had also been in the building, were safe.

Mrs Magnus said: "I am just thankful because I was going to go to Hadleigh to do some shopping. If I had gone, my dogs would have been burnt alive because I would have left them in the house.

"Two rooms were gutted but it could have been a lot worse. I am relieved that we got out and that no one was hurt. We can rebuild but if someone had been hurt or killed then you cannot bring that back."

The fire damaged the newer part of the building leaving the older, Tudor, part undamaged.

Mrs Magnus said: "If it had to be any bit (of the house) I would prefer it to be the bit that it was. So someone up there has been kind even if they did shove lightning on us.

"The fire brigade were brilliant. The firemen said to me that once the fire gets in the roof it does not take long before it gets to the whole house."

More than 30 firefighters were called to tackle the blaze and they also helped remove treasured pictures from the blaze including those of Mrs Hyde's son Daniel, who died last year.