A FATHER and his teenage daughter had a lucky escape when lightning struck their Hextable home.

The bolt destroyed one side of the family home in Maylons Road, narrowly missing the 15-year-old girl’s bedroom.

The impact of the bolt flung bricks into the street nearly hitting a passerby and destroying cars parked along the road.

The middle aged schoolteacher was in the garage when the storm struck at about 6pm on Wednesday.

Neighbour Norman Clarke, 47, said: “The blast sounded like a bomb going off. It was terrifying.

“I did not realise the lightning had actually struck the house next door until my friend rushed round to tell me there was smoke billowing from the house.”

The family had to be evacuated and are staying with family in Dartford.

Mr Clarke added: “We feel so sorry for the neighbours.”

The noise was so loud Dartford fire fighters that attended the scene, thought Bluewater Shopping Centre had been hit by the lightning.

Crews from Dartford and Thameside spent more than three hours making the house safe.

Meanwhile, confused elderly residents are recovering after lightning struck a residential home.

The 30 residents of Warren Court, Meadowside, Dartford, were evacuated, when lightning stuck the first floor of the sheltered accommodation on Wednesday.

Dartford fire fighters were called to the scene at about 6pm and put out the small fire.

Station officer, Vince Lewis, said: “It was a small fire but it could have spread very quickly.”