A BARRY street where “not much happens” was struck by lightning causing damage to property on Friday, June 17.

Neighbours living on Westward Rise – which they describe as being in a “sleepy garden suburb” near Porthkerry Park – suffered structural damage to one home with electrical equipment destroyed after a thunderstorm struck Barry around 5.30pm.

Residents described the "excitement".

Caitlin Hollyman, 21, of Westward Rise, said: “I first heard the thunder whilst I was walking my dog along Marine Drive. I could see storm clouds building over the Island and heard a few cracks of thunder in the distance. I began to head home because my dog is very nervous of thunder and loud noises.

"I saw some lightning as I got back to my house and decided to watch the storm for a while.

"I was unsure how close it was, but then all of a sudden it was very near the house then above the house.

"It was one of the loudest cracks of thunder I've ever heard.

"I screamed my house down. The bang was so loud and because everything else went in the house, I damn near jumped out of my skin. The dog wasn't happy either and yelped along with me.

"I believe it was forked lightning, because as well as my house it was seen by my neighbour’s daughter hitting the ground near the lamppost outside.

"Lights blew in the kitchen, the TV made a bang and stopped, as did the radio. I went to ask my neighbours for help with the electrics and that was when they told me that the house had been struck.

"It's broken a couples of ridge tiles and some slates on my roof. Some it ended up on the decking out the back. It's broken a circuit downstairs, blown a couple of bulbs around the house, blown a socket in my bedroom and broken three televisions. The landline to my house and some of the surrounding houses is also down and has been since it happened.”

Neighbour Sue Eldridge, 54, said: “It’s all been rather exciting, not much happens up here. My brother Dave Eldridge, 50, had popped in, the rain suddenly came down in a biblical manner.

"We were watching from the back doors when the thunder started. We did the usual counts and commented ‘wow’ that’s close. Then there was the loudest thunder electrical bang I have ever heard. The lights all flashed, one sparked, everyone in the house my partner Al, 47, my daughter Becci, 28, and my son Joe, 10, all came charging downstairs. Joe had been on his playstation and said a flash had gone up the cord of his controller which luckily he threw before it reached him.

"I love a good storm but that was a bit too close for comfort.”