A schoolboy was hit by lightning and a kayaker paddled in a flooded road when heavy storms hit Braintree.

Heavy rain turned part of Notley Road into a river and firefighters were called to deal with flooding in nearby Perryfields.

Martin Green, 33, a support worker, of Perryfields, said:  “I definitely didn’t expect to see someone in a canoe near the Riverside flats.”

Homes in nearby St John’s Avenue, which runs parallel to the River Brain, were particularly badly hit by floodwater.

And Hugo Wren, ten, was at a friend’s house in Peel Crescent, Braintree when a bolt of lightning struck the house, travelled down a cable and zapped him on the foot.

The St Michael’s Primary School pupil said: “It felt like it came through the window. There were a load of sparks flying out the TV.

“It was a little bit scary and not fun at the time.” 

For the full story and more pictures, see this week's Braintree Times.