Jeff Stirrat and his wife and two of their children had almost reached their destination in Dumfries when they received a telephone call telling them their home was going up in flames – the fire caused by a bolt of lightning hitting a nearby telegraph pole during a downpour of hailstones.

And Jeff, who hit the headlines in December when he broke his leg in a car crash in which his friend Andy Logan was also badly injured, is now facing weeks out of his house until the damage is fixed.

He told the Hawick News: "The telegraph pole at the other side of our garden was struck by lightning, and it has travelled down the phone line and blown up our phone in the house, before catching fire. I thought it was a wind-up at first."

The fire started just inside the front door and quickly took hold of paperwork and curtains, before burning the walls and causing extensive smoke damage throughout the house.

However, two quick-thinking neighbours saved the property from further destruction, when they discovered the fire and took heroic action.
Praising the help of Steven Ellins and Wilton school janitor Eddie Walsh, Jeff explained: "Steven saw the lightning hit and although they could see the fire in the house, they couldn't get in to put it out.

"So Eddie ran to the school for a fire extinguisher, which they both then poked through the cat flap to put most of the blaze out before the fire brigade arrived."

But describing the mess the blaze caused, Jeff added: "Inside the front door the floorboards are damaged and have had to be lifted, and the carpets are up, the walls are burnt and the smoke damage is really bad throughout the whole house; even in drawers that were closed, it absolutely stinks."

The Stirrat family have, however, been overwhelmed by the many gestures of kindness since last Friday's fire. Jeff added: "We would like to say many thanks to all our family, friends and neighbours for their offers of help. And particular thanks to Steven and Eddie for their quick-thinking actions."

As well as the damage to Mr and Mrs Stirrat's home, their neighbours have reported that the lightning also blew out their telephones, computers and satellite television.