NEIGHBOURS have spoken of their "shock" at seeing a family's home on their cul-de-sac in Haxby being engulfed by fire after being struck by lightning.

The blaze caused severe damage throughout the end terraced house on Garths End, but fortunately nobody was injured.

Five crews rushed to the scene of the fire, which was reported at around 8.15pm yesterday (Friday), and tackled the blaze.

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A GoFundMe page has been launched to help restore the family's belongings after the fire, which has already raised thousands of pounds. Click here to visit the page and make a donation.

One neighbour, who does not want to be named, described hearing a "massive crack" a couple of minutes before her son came running to her saying there was a house on fire.

She explained: "The flames were coming through the windows and through the roof. There was thick black smoke.

"It was just a shock."

She said a number of residents were evacuated from their homes.

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Another neighbour, Ellie Crouch, said the whole house was on fire and there was smoke everywhere. She commented: "It was really bad. I was shocked. It was just crazy.

"Everyone was out. We weren't allowed back in the house until around midnight."

She added: "I heard a bang. I was in my room at the back. I just thought it was thunder and lightning. I didn't realise the whole house had gone up in flames.

"I was upstairs. I was looking out the window at the thunder and lightning. Then two ladies ran up to the house and said 'you need to get out now, there's a house on fire'. Then I saw the fire."

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A man who lives next door to the house, but also does not want to be named, said his whole home has been smoke damaged.

"It will need re-roofing," he said. "Our windows and doors have been damaged, they will need replacing.

"We were out last night. One of my friends called me. The firefighters were putting out the fire when I got here. They did a really good job.

"We just had to watch. We couldn't do anything."

Fire crews used 10 breathing apparatus, four hose reel jets, various ladders, lighting, hand tools and thermal imaging cameras to deal with the blaze.

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