A bolt of lightning struck a newsagents during a thunderstorm last night.

Firefighters were called to the One Stop shop in Court Farm Road, Hove, at around 6:30pm after reports lightning had hit the building.

Brett Mendoza, who was at a family gathering nearby, posted a picture on Twitter shortly afterwards showing firefighters in the shop as the staff waited outside.

He tweeted: “One of the loudest bangs of lightning I’ve ever heard. Knew it hit close. Turns out it hit the shop a few doors down.

“We were sitting in front room, never seen a flash so bright or a bang so loud. Then the fire engines appeared.”

The bolt set off automatic burglar alarms which produced synthetic smoke, but there was little damage caused and no one was hurt.

Customers were allowed back in one hour later.