Supplies were hit by lightning strikes

ScottishPower said its supplies were hit by 14 lightning strikes between 2000 and 2100 BST on Wednesday.

A spokesman said: "Lightning strikes at the Newart Hill grid sub-system in Lanarkshire caused a dip in the supply of electricity which had a knock-on effect."

Wishaw General Hospital was affected by a power failure at 1945 BST.

The 633-bed hospital experienced a power surge when emergency generators activated following the black-out.

Ambulance services were alerted and were instructed to divert patients to neighbouring Monklands District General Hospital and Hairmyres Hospital, in East Kilbride.

Emergency and X-ray equipment suffered power failures at Wishaw - home to Scotland's second biggest maternity unit - for more than an hour until full power was restored.

About half an hour later, neighbouring Monklands Hospital was also hit by power cuts affecting lighting systems in the accident and emergency department.

During that time, admissions were diverted.

Maternity patients were moved from areas of Wishaw to non-affected areas of the hospital but no patients had to be moved out of the hospital.