Furious residents left on the streets after Milton Keynes flat hit by lightning

The roof of the flat on Hauksbee Gardens in Shenley Lodge was severely damaged and left evacuated tenants homeless on Saturday.

Firefighters cordoned off the surrounding area after debris showered the street.

42-year-old Nick Rainey, who lives in the flat, said: “The whole block of flats were cordoned off which meant every who lives here were affected.

“We were told not to stay in the flats by the fire brigade so I stayed in a hotel, but we couldn’t get in touch with CDS Co-Operative.”

CDS Co-Operative are responsible for the flats and residents could not contact them for 48 hours after the strike.

Nick explains: “On the night after the strike some had no option than to stay in a building that we did not know the structural state of.

“Two residents slept in the flats after the lightening strike on Saturday, there was no electricity or gas.

“Only a third party mans the emergency contact line for CDS which was available and they said that they could not contact housing Co-Operative or their emergency contractors.”

Ward councillor Chris Williams arranged temporary accommodation at a nearby hotel on Sunday (August 28) but until then, tenants had to stay with family or friends and some in their cars.

Councillor Williams said it was difficult to believe that the CDS could not be contacted because it was a bank holiday weekend.

On Tuesday, three days after the lightning strike, a contractor began working on the roof and a structural engineer was due to assess the block of flats.

Resident Nick was also contacted on Tuesday by his landlord and received an apology, he is still staying in a nearby hotel and it is likely he will be there for a week.

A spokesman for CDS Co-Operative, said: “Our focus is on the tenants and their welfare, we want to assess the building and work towards getting everyone back in their homes.”

Over the bank holiday weekend there were a number of weather incidents, including flash flooding that closed Water Eaton Road by the railway bridge for safety reasons, Lennox Road in Bletchley also flooded and sandbags were delivered to a property in Furzton.

There was also a burst water main affecting Bushy Close and Whalley Drive.