A TEENAGER struck by lightning while sleeping in a tent is lucky to be
alive, his father said yesterday.
Stefan Brown, 15, was knocked unconscious by the blast and suffered
serious burns to his face, legs and chest.
His father Mr Don Brown said: ''I cannot believe he is still alive --
at one stage he was at death's door. He was burned all over and I
thought the worst. I am still stunned he is home with us now.''
Stefan was one of 14 teenagers who had been camping out after a party
to celebrate the end of the school holidays.
Eight, aged 14 to 16, were taken to the Kent and Sussex hospital in
Tunbridge Wells with burns and shock after the 3am incident. They were
all later discharged.
''We were all sleeping when there was a massive bang and a very bright
light,'' said David Burren, 16, who held the party at his home in
Shirley Grove, Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells.
''The girls were crying and screaming and someone yelled 'Run!' and we
all got out of the tent which was pitched in the middle of a field at
the back of my home and ran like hell.
''After we ran off we realised we had left some back in the tent and
so a few lads went back to get them out.
''Stefan was unconscious and we had to carry him back to the house.
''He started to come round but was very dazed. I think he is lucky to
survive. One boy actually slept through the whole thing.''
David added: ''The tent was a big one with many metal poles holding it
up. The only signs of the strike are a pair of blackened holes near two
of the poles.
''I thank God we are all still alive.''
Mr Brown, 44, a civil servant from Tunbridge Wells, spent the morning
at his son's hospital bedside with his wife Patricia, 40.
''He was wired up to a lot of machines and for a while I thought we
might lose him.
''We could not believe it when the doctor said he was well enough to
go home.
''He looks a bit of a mess with burns on his face and all over his
body but they patched him up. He is very, very lucky. As I drove to the
house I was scared at what I might find. When I saw what sort of state
Stef was in I was so worried.''
Mrs Jacqueline Burren said: ''I am just so thankful no-one was killed.
It could have been a major disaster.
''There was torrential rain and the youngsters were all crowded into a
large tent and a smaller one. It was the big one which was hit.''
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