Boy, 12, and man in his 50s rushed to hospital after pair struck by lightning at a school football tournament

A 12-year-old school boy is in a critical condition after he and a man in his 50s were struck by lightening in Hertfordshire. 

The boy and man were struck during a district tournament at The Sele School in Hertford on Monday.

The East of England Ambulance Service said the child was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in a ‘critical condition’. The man who was hit by lightening was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital.

The headteacher of The Sele School, Chris Quach, posted on Facebook: ‘Unfortunately, during the Tournament there was a lightning strike which affected several people, two of whom, one adult and one student from another local secondary school, were taken to hospital for treatment.

‘The entire staff of The Sele School, the wider school community and I would like to thank the emergency services, the parents and staff who were attending the match and were so helpful and our first aiders who did an amazing job while waiting for the emergency services to respond.

‘Our good wishes and thoughts are with the people who were injured.’