Crash, bang, wallop!

Two gaping holes were left in the roof in the brief change in the sweltering weather, but fortunately, no-one was hurt.

Colin said: "I was just in that state of waking up when there was this explosion directly above our heads. It took me a few seconds to figure out what was happening.

"I went outside and saw tiles strewn about the place and two holes in the roof."

Colin, his partner Dawn Williams and their three children Rhiannon (9), Connah (6) and Megan (4) couldn't believe what had happened and were thankful they were not injured in the storm.

Littlehampton and Arundel fire brigades were called out and, once they had established there was no fire, set to work making the roof safe for Mr Fullard and his family.

"It was fortunate it happened early, when there weren't many people around. I think if someone had have been outside our house when the lightning struck, they would have suffered," Colin added.

Colin was waiting to find out the extent of the damage and said the bill would be paid by his housing association.