A CAR was struck by lightning only yards away from a packed golf club as storms swept through North Yorkshire.

More than 30 people were in the clubhouse at Fulford Golf Club, York, when lightning struck both the car park and the 18th green.

A member who later went out to his Mercedes car found he was unable to start it. He was told by a mechanic that the wires were burned out and it had probably been hit by lightning.

The flash thunderstorm and torrential rain hit the area just before noon yesterday.

At the time the club was busy as the Yorkshire Professional Golfers Association Masters tournament was taking place.

General manager Ian Mackland said: "One of the members went out to the vehicle and was surprised to find the cooling fan was running and the car would not start. The mechanic said the car's wiring had burned out and suggested that lightning had struck the vehicle. People reported seeing the flash hit the car park, but nobody saw the lightning hit the car."

Norton and Malton Golf Club was also closed when rain flooded the course.

Updated: 11:13 Thursday, July 31, 2003