Lightning strike and fire destroy Kidderminster bungalow roof

The roof collapsed as a result of the blaze on Sunday evening

A couple living in a bungalow were forced to flee their home following a lightning strike that caused a fire.

The roof collapsed as a result of the blaze on Sunday and Lyn and Trevor Ellis, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, lost all possessions.

They moved into the property in Sculthorpe Road 18 months ago.

Mrs Ellis, whose sister died two weeks ago, said lightning had hit an aerial, but she had thought "two trains up the road crashed".

The grandmother, who was in the lounge, said: "All of a sudden it went bang and I thought what's that?... I could smell burning. I went out.

"I could see smoke and then the next thing I knew it was all in flames and everything just fell through. We just got out in time."

Lyn Ellis said people she did not know had sent cards

Mrs Ellis, who stated her husband had said the bedroom "went blue", added everything was "ruined, all my clothes, all our furniture, carpets".

She said: "It is heartbreaking because I lost my sister two weeks ago and we've not buried her yet... I'm just so distraught."

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Asked what she was thinking when she was looking at the home, the grandmother said: "What have we done to deserve everything? And it was just so sad because we really like it there.

"I've got lovely neighbours, people I never knew and they've sent cards."

There are about 18 bungalows standing next to each other on either side of the road

Her son Michael, who the couple are currently living with, said the grandparents "were just sat opposite just watching it burn".

He added they had not grabbed anything and had left "with the clothes that they had on" and had managed to "salvage some bits and pieces, which have since been thrown" because they were broken or smoke-damaged.

Mrs Ellis, who said she believed a donation was taking place, stated: "We've always worked for what we've got... We've just got to start all over again."