´óÏó´«Ã½

A 10-year-old girl struck by lightning in Merthyr Tydfil has amazed doctors with her speedy recovery.

Erin Moran was sitting in the window of her house at King Edward Villas when she was hit in the shoulder on Monday.

The strike left a snowflake-shaped scar on her shoulder, and a red dot on her foot, but she was deemed healthy enough to return to school on Tuesday.

Erin's father said: "Everybody we've spoken to, the doctors in the hospital, were just absolutely amazed."

The chances of being struck by lightning are put at about one in 500,000.

Mr Moran explained that Erin had been at an upstairs attic window watching the storm.

"All of a sudden there was a massive crack, explosion, and then we heard the scream from Erin," he said.

"She came running down the stairs. We thought she'd just been frightened by the lightning."

However, he said when Erin started complaining of a pain in her left shoulder and big toe, he knew she had to be taken to hospital.

"She had a mark on her shoulder, which has been described as lightning going across the sky, but which Erin refers to as her lucky snowflake," said Mr Moran.

"She had that on her shoulder and a red dot on her foot where the lightning came out apparently and then arced into the floor.

"It went straight through her body.

"Everybody we've spoken to, the doctors in the hospital, were just absolutely amazed, firstly by the pattern that was on her shoulder and about how healthy and fit she was pretty much just after it."

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said her injuries were minor but could have been much worse.

Erin's grandmother was also examined by paramedics at the scene on Monday evening but was not taken to hospital.

Fire crews used thermal imaging cameras at the scene of the strike but there was no fire at the property.

A neighbour reported there was "a terrific noise", and the house at the end of the row was hit.

A fire officer at the scene said he saw a mark on the frame of the double-glazed window.

"It actually cracked an upper window of a double-glazed unit and caused an entry and exit point," said Andy Methven, from the fire service investigation team.

"There was also a small mark on the carpet [which] I assume was the exit point after it had gone through the young lady in question," he added.

He has been with the fire service for 23 years and said it was the first time he had ever investigated or attended such an incident.