Kirkintilloch lightning family 'unaware roof of house was on fire'

A family whose house was set on fire by a lightning strike during unseasonably severe weather has told the BBC that they didn't even realise the roof was on fire until they were alerted by a neighbour.

Picture: Ami Atwal

The Malcolms were apparently watching TV in the living room of their East Dunbartonshire home when a knock at the door by a neighbour warned them that the roof was ablaze following a lightening strike.

Frank Malcolm told the BBC: “A neighbour knocked on the door and told us to get out as the house was on fire.”

He then added that they had “lost the whole house”, a house that they had only recently moved into.

Luckily, no-one was injured in the fire.

The family are currently staying with a neighbour.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) remain at the scene following the strike which caused a fire in the roof of a property in Kirkintilloch.

The lightning strike came as parts of the Scotland were hit by hailstorms and torrential downpours.