A LIGHTNING strike on a house has destroyed TVs and games consoles at other houses up and down a Wombwell Street leaving some residents worried about paying for Christmas.
A bolt of lightning hit a house on Bondfield Crescent at about 5pm last Wednesday.
"It hit my solar panels, blew the isolators and sent a surge through the house," said Andrew Ashcroft, 33.
"The bedrooms and attic were filled with smoke. The house shook and you could see blue sparks coming from the electrics. It branched out from our house and seemed to be hitting everywhere."
The lightning strike left some houses on the street temporarily without phone lines and has left some televisions, games consoles, and wireless routers useless.
"It has caused at least a couple of grands' worth of damage. I've had to tell my kids not to expect much before Christmas because we can't afford to do both," said Andrew.
He said three fire engines attended.
Paula Rasburn lives next door to the house where the lightning hit. It has left scorch marks on the front of her home.
She said: "Angry is not the word. Sky want me to pay £70 for a new router, £150 for a new box and £65 call out fee for them to replace my broken ones."
