Lightning strike may have been to blame for fire which swept through house in Hoylake

Dec 14 2011 by Lorna Hughes, Heswall News

A BOLT of lightning may have caused a fire which swept through a newly-renovated house in Wirral last week.

The fire, which broke out during the early hours of Wednesday, caused extensive damage to the property, which overlooks the Royal Liverpool Golf Club, in Meols Drive.

The road was temporarily closed while Merseyside Fire Service brought the flames under control.

A builder who had been involved in the renovation said he understood one of the owners had originally planned to sleep in the loft – the area worst hit by the blaze – but had decided not to.

He said: “It’s just as well he didn’t. It looks bad, but it’s even worse at the back.

“We’ve been working on it for about 18 months.”

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) confirmed the house was unoccupied as it was undergoing extensive refurbishment.