Last night's lightning left a family temporarily homeless after a large tree exploded into shards of wood destroying cars and damaging the roof of a house.

The tree, in Barrow Hill, Worcester Park, rained down splinters on a Volkswagen Polo and a Peugot 307 just after 10pm during yesterday's thunderstorm, but no-one was hurt.

One neighbour said: "It sounded like something was exploding. There was a flash and a very loud crack."

Another, Luke Robeson, 18, said: "It is mad. I think the people at number one had to stay at a friend's house because of their ceiling.

"Everyone was OK but they were stunned. I had a dent on my car from a flying piece of branch but I am only third party insured."

Three fire engines and police officers went to the house.

Elsewhere lightning hit a house in Sopwith Close, Kingston, blowing up a TV and setting fire to the loft.

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