A WAITRESS was thrown across a kitchen when lightning struck the hotel where she was washing up.

And the freak storm left Terry Hesketh, proprietor of the Parrock Head Hotel, near Slaidburn, with a massive bill for repairs.

Lucky-to-be-alive Joan Carr was up to her arms in water at the hotel when a thunderbolt sent power surging through the building on Saturday afternoon.

She was lifted off her feet and "sent flying across the kitchen", Terry said.

Televisions exploded, alarms went off and the hotel's satellite communications system failed, leaving Terry with a £5,000 repair bill. He said the incident had left everyone, Mrs Carr in particular, badly shaken, but apart from the odd bruise the waitress escaped unhurt.

"We were just finishing the afternoon shift when lightning sent a tremendous power surge through the building. Everything electrical was affected. I've never seen anything like it."

Terry and his wife, Kath, took over the hotel, in an isolated spot on the outskirts of Slaidburn, six months ago.

As a "timely" reminder of the incident, Terry's watch has jammed on 4 pm - the time of the strike.

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