Lightning causes substantial damage to Downpatrick home

A house in Downpatrick has been severely damaged after a lightning strike set fire to the roof.

Four people inside the house on Kingsfield Avenue managed to escape without injury, as flames spread to a neighbouring property.

At around 6am on Friday morning, the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) received a call and two appliances were dispatched to the scene from Downpatrick Fire Station, with a further engine deployed from Ballynahinch.

The roof and front living room of the house were affected by the fire.