Colleagues think rubber handlebars on the officer's bike saved her

A police officer was struck by lightning while on patrol in Sussex on Tuesday, but still completed the rest of her shift.

PC Carrie Kwasniewski said she felt like she had "won the lottery" after surviving the direct hit while on duty in Three Bridges.

She was on patrol on her bike and had stopped to talk to a motorist when the bolt of lightning hit her on the arm.

PC Kwasniewski has already been nicknamed "Superwoman" by her colleagues.

Sussex Police said the officer was cycling near Hazelwick School at about 1430 BST when she stopped to take the details of a driver who had come close to hitting her on her bike.

To survive a lightning strike is quite something - even for her Inspector Geoff Charnock

While they were talking they were hit by the bolt of lightning.

PC Kwasniewski said: "There was an almighty flash and bang and a bolt shot through my arm, throwing me from my bike.

"Another car pulled up and a woman said to me 'did that really just happen?'

"We both looked at each other and we both said 'we've just been struck by lightning'."

Police said the bolt of lightning had hit her, gone through the handle bars and into another vehicle, knocking out its electrics.

Instead of rushing to have herself checked over, PC Kwasniewski first headed to the nearby Tesco petrol station after reports it too had been struck by lightning.

'A miracle she's alive'

She was then taken back to Crawley Police Station, where she reported feeling nothing worse than a small tingling in her arm.

She then worked until the end of her shift at 1600 BST and said she intended to be back at work on Wednesday.

Inspector Geoff Charnock, of Crawley Police, said: "We've dubbed her Superwoman.

"She's well known for her high levels of fitness and she's a third dan karate expert.

"But to survive a lightning strike is quite something - even for her.

"Unbelievably, she stayed on duty and even went on to attend another job.

"It's a miracle that she's alive."