A THUNDERBOLT, described as an explosion within an explosion, shattered a three-storey house at Hornshill, Cam in February 1977.

The natural phenomenon left a trail of damage through the home of Cam residents Vera Sealey and her son Burton, also causing damage to the adjoining property, and a nearby house, where a young couple had just returned with their new born baby, had a window blown in.

The strike was the climax of a torrential hail storm which swept parts of the Dursley district. At its height the whole district was shaken by a fierce clap of thunder, as the lightning tore through the roof of the five-bedroomed house at Hornshill Villas.

While it had not been fully assessed how much damage had been caused, Mrs Sealey’s eldest son Robert told the Gazette it would be “in the thousands.”

“Apart from the kitchen ceiling all the other ceilings throughout the house have had to come down,” he said.

“At least half the floor on the top storey together with about half a dozen purlins will have to be replaced.”

As tidying up operations continued the Sealey family awaited the arrival of a consultant to advise whether the gable end of the house would have to be removed – Mr Sealey explained that the strike on the strengthening bar through the roof had had broken out the retaining cement.

Mrs Sealey and Burton were in the downstairs dining room when the thunderbolt struck, smashing windows, bringing down plaster from the ceilings and tearing electric sockets from the walls.

In some rooms the rubble was inches deep.

Mr Sealey said: “We had just finished dinner when we heard a big bang. There was a flash and everything started to fall down. The power must have been phenomenal. I got mother out as quickly as possible and then called the fire brigade.”

Two passing motorcyclists came to help after seeing the flash, and waited with Mrs Sealey while her son went for help.

She said: “It’s another shock but at least we have our lives,” adding that she would return to Hornshill when the repairs were complete.