A couple escaped unhurt last night after a freak lightning strike rocked their home.

Mick and Val Miller were watching television when the bolt hit the gabled end of the roof, and started a fire.

Today their home in Felpham, near Bognor, was declared unsafe and the couple were waiting for a visit from a buildings' inspector.

Mr Miller, a self-employed central heating installer, said: "There was one almighty bang at about 10.30pm and Val immediately said we had been struck by lightning.

"All the lights went out. We rushed outside and got a torch and could see where the lightning had struck the roof, and then we saw the smoke."

Mr Miller tried to tackle the blaze with a garden hosepipe but said it was hopeless.

He added: "The fire brigade arrived very quickly and got the fire under control."

Mr and Mrs Miller, whose four grown-up daughters were all away, were today staying with a neighbour.

Mr Miller said: "Apparently it is one hell of a mess inside the house but we have not been able to get back in.

"Apart from a crack in the wall you could not really tell from the outside what happened. It is only the fact the tiles are interlocking that is preventing the roof from collapsing and it will all have to be renewed."

Mr Miller added: "It had been raining very heavily last night but this all seems to have been caused by just one burst of lightning. It was a frightening experience."