I am writing to ask whether any reader has had a similar experience to what follows

On the afternoon/early evening of 7 July, in my region there was heavy rain, thunder and I experienced a power cut for some three hours. On the resumption of the supply, I noticed that the radiators in our home were slightly warm, even though the heating was off. Strange, I thought.

We went to bed and I could hear water running continuously into the roof tanks. I looked around the house for any leaks but none were visible.

Our plumber climbed into the roof and reported that the heating tank was continually filling. He thought that there must be a serious leak somewhere under the floor. He closed down the system and said he would return.“Hopefully, pretty soon,” I thought.

The following day he returned, this time with assistance. I returned at lunchtime to find the kitchen taken apart. He had located the leak by filling the system and listening out for the leak. Inside a duct that had been tiled over, he’d found a copper pipe with a 6 mm hole blown through it.

What could be the heat source required to do that? My thoughts were that it could have been a lightning strike, but there are no physical signs around the house. Has anybody any idea how that could happen?

Colin Avery, Avery Electrical, Guildford, Surrey