A FAMILY has praised neighbours and the fire service after they escaped their burning house when the roof was struck by lightning.

James and Philly Futter were sat in their front room watching TV with their two young children, Evelyn, four, and Harry, two, when they heard an 'almighty bang' and were plunged into darkness.

Neighbours rushed out and pointed to the roof, which had burst into flames, and called the fire service as the family rushed to safety.

Mr Futter, who lives in Bicester, said: "I could see the storm coming over in the distance and then there was just this almighty bang and the TV blew and the lights went off.

"I didn't think much of it and certainly didn't think it had hit the house.

"When I looked out the window I could see the lights had come back on in most of our neighbours' houses and when I looked again I saw people running towards our house - they were going mad.

He added: "I stepped outside and looked up to see the roof smoking so I threw the kids in the car with the dog to make sure they were safe.

"It was scary for them but the neighbours were amazing and took them in and looked after them - it was a crazy night."

The lightning storm ripped through the county on Friday evening as the fire service were called out to three houses, two in Bicester and one in Combe, West Oxfordshire, in the space of an hour.

The blaze in Restharrow Mead was by far the most serious as firefighters from Bicester, Buckingham, Banbury, Deddington and Brill fought to contain it and save the Futter's personal belongings.

The 34-year-old, who works as a financial controller, said: "The fire service did an incredible job and apart from our double bed on the top floor everything has been saved.

"They did everything, they asked my wife if there was anything up there she wanted and she said her wedding dress - so the firefighters saved it."

The Futters stayed with family in Bicester and returned to their house the following day to pick up clothes and hope to return after the roof damage is fixed.

Mr Futter said: "Fortunately we were close to the front door and the fire was three storeys up but the damage could have been a lot worse without our neighbours' help.

"It's so nice to know we live in an area with such lovely people and with an incredible fire service."

The first strike in the county hit a house in Combe just before 7pm before the Restharrow Mead fire was called in at 7.08pm.

A third fire in Bicester was reported at 7.52pm and the storm also caused flooding to a house in Bletchingdon.

Crew manager Paul Mann said: "The fire could be seen from over half a mile away and fortunately the occupiers of the house, with their two young children, were able to escape the house quickly and safely.

"Due to the sheer power of a direct lightning strike, the fire very quickly took hold and spread throughout the roof and walls.

"We had to quickly contain it while also protecting and salvaging the family's belongings."