Two struck by lightning at school

Emergency services rushed to Sele School this afternoon (Monday 2nd October) after a boy and adult were struck by lightning.

In a statement on the school's Facebook page, headteacher Chris Quach said: "On Monday 2nd October after school there was a Football Tournament, organised by the District, which took place at The Sele School. Unfortunately, during the Tournament there was a lightning strike which affected several people, two of whom, one adult and one student from another local secondary school, were taken to hospital for treatment.

"The entire staff of The Sele School, the wider school community and I would like to thank the emergency services, the parents and staff who were attending the match and were so helpful and our first aiders who did an amazing job while waiting for the emergency services to respond. Our good wishes and thoughts are with the people who were injured."

An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We were called at 5.16pm with reports that two people, a 12-year-old boy and a man in his fifties, had been struck by lightning in Welwyn Road, Hertford.

"We sent East Anglian Air Ambulance, two ambulance officer vehicles, an ambulance, a BASICS vehicle and a rapid response car.

"The child was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in a critical condition and the man was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital for further care. Both were conveyed by land ambulance."

The 12-year-old boy is described as being in a critical condition.