A 12-year-old boy is in hospital critically ill after he and a man in his 50s were hit by lightning at a football tournament. The two were reportedly hit by lightning during a storm on Monday.

Chris Quach headteacher at Sele School in Hertford, posted on the school Facebook page: “There was a district football tournament organised by an external body at The Sele School. Sadly, a young boy from another school and an adult was struck by lightning during this event.

“They have been taken to the hospital. Myself, the entire staff at Sele and wider community would like to thank emergency services, the community and our first aiders who were quick to respond whilst waiting for emergency services.”

In a second statement the school added: "During the tournament, there was a lightning strike which affected several people.

“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."

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “The child was then to Addenbrooke’s Hosital in a critical condition and the man was taken to Princess Alexandra hospital for further care."

Also on Monday a lightning strike detonated a gas silo in Oxfordshire creating a huge fireball seen across multiple counties. The Met Office has weather warnings in place for much of the week before warm weather is pulled in from the south this weekend.