Oxford village residents describe 'ball of flames' as lightning caused explosion at recycling plant

• Report by ITV News Meridian's Wesley Smith

People living in villages north west of Oxford have described the moment a food waste recycling plant was struck by lightning causing a gas explosion.

Residents say there was a bang, an orange glow in the sky and what appeared to be a "ball of flames".

The flames could be seen for miles at the Seven Trent Green Power site in Cassington near Yarnton at 7.15pm yesterday evening (Monday 2 October).

The company says it is relieved no was was hurt - and has praised emergency services.

Neil Currell, an eyewitness, said: "You could smell burning immediately. Then there was smoke about two, three minutes later. There was a haze everywhere. Within minutes there were sirens going up and down the A40."

Village resident, Mary Fitzgerald, described the scene as looking like the "reverse of a comet - just going upwards, a big ball of flames".

Another resident, Jim Thomson said it was like a "mini atomic explosion".

Eyewitness, Jane Cook, added: "All of a sudden you hear this god-almighty crack which was rather large for an ordinary thunderclap.

"I looked out of the window to see the lightning but instead of the lightning, there was just a huge glow in the sky."

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