Angler feared he was dead after lightning struck tree beside him

ANGLER Steve Barrett feared he had died after being blasted by a lightning strike on Friday the 13th.

- By Eleanor Ovens

He was with friends when the bolt smashed into a tree 10ft away and bounced into his rod.

Steve, 54, was knocked off his feet and temporarily paralysed with a hole in his shoulder, broken ribs, burns and bruises — along with splinters from the tree.

Goner

He said: "It was only a second or two [after being hit] before I went unconscious. I thought I was dead.

"I kind of went through a bit of emotional trauma there.

"I thought I was a goner. And the worst thing is I never even caught a carp."