A FREAK lightning storm gutted one home and damaged others.

Firefighters were called to Peace Road, Colchester after a fire broke out melting a television and filling the house with smoke.

Crews managed to put out the flames and cleared the smoke in about 45 minutes after being called at 5pm on Saturday.

Assistant Divisional Officer Lee Palfryman said: "It seems as if lightning struck the metal guttering and travelled down the wire.

"It went into their decoder and the fire started in the corner unit involving the decoder and television."

See the full story in Tuesday's Gazette.