Thousands of homes across south Essex were plunged into darkness because of a power cut which followed a thunder bolt.

EDF electricity launched an investigation following the power blackout which affected several thousand customers across Thundersley, Rayleigh, Pitsea, Wickford and Basildon.

Sam Nichol, of Kenneth Road, Thundersley, suspected the power cut was connected to a noise like an explosion she heard just after 8pm although other residents thought this was a thunderstorm.

She said: "If it was thunder, it was the loudest thunder I have ever heard. "It seemed to carry on for a long, long time. I honestly thought a plane might have crashed at the end of the street. I didn't know what was happening.

"The lights dimmed almost immediately and remained the same for ten minutes. Then there was a complete blackout.

"My children were running around scared stiff and we were looking for candles." She suspected the explosion came from a local power station.

An EDF spokeswoman said power supplies were interrupted at 8.20pm and restored to all customers within 90 minutes.

The cause was being investigated. She was unable to confirm whether the explosion was connected to the power cut.