RESIDENTS were lucky to escape unharmed after a lightning bolt hit a television aerial and set fire to a roof.

Fire crews from Braintree and Coggeshall were called to The Street, Bradwell, shortly before 4am on Wednesday.

Crews reported flames in, and on, the roof of a terraced home, one of a bank of four, close to The Spicy Swan and the junction with the A120 Coggeshall Road.

The fire soon spread to the adjoining property and smoke begun to fill the other two homes.

One of the homeowners said: “It was the loudest bang I have ever heard - the whole village must have heard it.

“It set the roof alight. I was asleep at the time but I jumped up out of bed.

“I rang the fire brigade and got all my neighbours out.

“All you could do when you were outside was watch it burn.”

Police closed off the road while three crews tackled the blaze.

Firefighters were able to put out the flames shortly before 6am and stopped it spreading to neighbouring homes.

The homeowner continued: “The roof structure is completely gone and the house is water damaged.

"I will have to find somewhere else to stay at the moment.

“I just feel lucky to have got out unharmed. I was supposed to be working nights and if I was I could have come home to a lot worse.

“The fire service were here quickly and I cannot thank them enough.”

The A120 remained open but The Street was cordoned off.

Steve Wintrip, Station Officer at Braintree Fire Station, said: "We sent firefighters straight into the properties to fight the fire from inside.

"The crews did a briliant job at stopping the fire which we managed to extinguish within 40 minutes.

"Firefighters then used an aerial ladder platform to get access to the roof space, extinguish remaining hot spots and remove broken roof tiles to make the area safe.

"Unfortunately, all four properties have suffered either fire or smoke damage and are no longer habitable.

"The four residents who were affected were looked after by their neighbours who rallied around to make sure they were looked after."

Crews remained at the scene dampening down and checking for hotspots and the Red Cross Support Unit attended the incident to provide the occupants with immediate welfare support.