The lightning bolt landed in between the two girls

The girls were staying at the Bowley Scout Camp, in Great Harwood, near Blackburn, Lancashire, when a thunder storm broke on Sunday morning.

About 30 Brownies were staying at the time in the dormitory block which was hit by the bolt.

None were seriously injured, but the two girls were taken to Accrington Victoria Hospital for treatment for minor burns.

Scouts County Commissioner Chris Creelman said: "Apparently the lightning had come in at one end and tracked through the loft space and started a small fire.

'Girls shocked'

"The result now is that we've a lot of water about and they had to pull down part of the ceiling.

"It actually came through and landed between two of the Brownies which gave them a bit of a shock as well."

Mr Creelman said the building would remain closed until further notice.

The storms also hit electricity cables, cutting supplies to up to 30,000 homes in Lancashire and Cumbria.

A spokeswoman for United Utilities said around 3,000 customers were still cut off at 1400 BST in the Ulnes Walton area near Leyland, at Rufford, and at Hareholme near Bury.