A LIGHTNING strike knocked the top off a mill chimney, sending bricks crashing down into the street during an electrical storm.

More than four feet of brickwork fell from the top of the M&S Tarpaulins factory chimney, Stone Bridge Lane, Oswaldtwistle, at 5pm yesterday.

Many of the bricks fell through the factory roof, knocking slates into the street.

A passer-by ran to Oswaldtwistle fire station to alert firefighters, who blocked off the street and used an aerial ladder platform to remove the rest of the loose bricks from the top of the chimney.

No-one was hurt in the incident.

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