Boy, 13, struck by lightning while playing football and fighting for life

A 13-year-old boy is fighting for his life in hospital after being struck by lightning during a football game.

The youngster and a man in his 50s were both hit during the match at The Sele School in Hertford on Monday afternoon. The boy, who was from an outside school, was playing in a district tournament when a bolt struck both him and the other man, with both rushed to separate hospitals.

A spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “The child was then to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in a critical condition and the man was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital for further care." The Sele School meanwhile released a brief statement as both victims - neither of whom have been named - undergo treatment.

Headteacher Chris Quach said: "On Monday 2 October after school there was a Football Tournament, organised by the District, which took place at The Sele School. Unfortunately, during the Tournament there was a lightning strike which affected several people, two of whom, one adult and one student from another local secondary school, were taken to hospital for treatment.

"The entire staff of The Sele School, the wider school community and I would like to thank the emergency services, the parents and staff who were attending the match and were so helpful and our first aiders who did an amazing job while waiting for the emergency services to respond. Our good wishes and thoughts are with the people who were injured."

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police confirmed a 13-year-old and 52-year-old were involved. They said: "We were called around 5.20pm last night (Monday 2 October) to assist the ambulance service after two people were apparently hit by lightning at a site on Welwyn Road in Hertford.

"A 13 year old boy and a 52 year old man were assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital. At the time, the boy was in a serious condition and the man was stable."

Lightning strikes pictured on Monday night over Leeds (PA)

Millions across the UK were blighted by storms on Monday evening. One lightning bolt struck and detonated a gas silo in Oxfordshire, creating a huge fireball seen across multiple counties. The Met Office has weather warnings in place for much of the week before warm weather is pulled in from the south this weekend.

Shocking pictures taken during the night show the dramatic weather, with some residents in the West Country left shaken after spotting a rare 'orange fireball' in the sky. People reported wi-fi being "knocked out" and a sound "like a bomb" and a "purple blue flash". Some thought it was a huge firework but a lighting map showed a bolt on the eastern side of the canal near Hempsted, reports Gloucestershire Live. One resident said: "It hit my house it blow my son's PlayStation and no WiFi. Not sure the TV works either now. It was electric explosion right outside blue purple so flipping loud."