A BLANDFORD trainee beauty therapist told how she was struck by lightning - as she washed her hair in the shower.

Student Abbie Jackson was hit when the bolt came in through her bathroom window.

She was left reeling in pain but escaped without serious injury.

Shocked Abbie, 17, said: "I was in the shower and I could hear the thunderstorms outside. The bathroom had already been lit up twice by the lightning.

"I had my hand on the showerhead because I was washing my hair and I saw the bolt come in through the window.

"The next thing I knew it hit my wrist and basically lit up my arm. The showerhead flew out of my hand. I got out of there straight away.

"I couldn't believe it. I was in so much pain at first and then my whole arm just went numb."

Abbie's mum Tracy had just arrived at their home - after driving through atrocious weather conditions - when her daughter was hit.

She said: "I was due to drive Abbie to college that night but I'd already decided there was no way I was going to take her out in the storm.

"The storms were rattling the whole house, it was so scary. Then she came downstairs and told me what happened.

"It was so unlucky for her to be struck like that. I took her to the doctor's surgery straight away but there wasn't really much they could do."

Abbie, who looks after sister Erin, four, in her spare time at the family home in Blandford, is still nursing a numb arm and sharp pains in her shoulder - but is otherwise well.

Mum-of-five Tracy, 45, a care assistant, said: "The feeling in her wrist will come back eventually."

She added: "It could have been a lot worse, I hate to think what could have happened. People have been hurt worse than Abbie was.

"It was freaky. You don't expect weather like that when it's so cold outside, and it's just unbelievable that the lightning came through the window."

The Echo's own Power Shower headline was pipped by 2CR-FM listener Andy from Bere Regis on the Headline Game on 2CR. Andy's headline now sits with this story.