Hero dog drags his owner home after he is knocked unconscious by lightning bolt

By NADIA GILANI



Saviours: Ian Thomas with Monty at his home in Redruth, Cornwall, and the wellington boots that saved his life



A faithful dog rescued his owner by dragging him home after he was struck by an enormous lightning bolt.

Ian Thomas, 64, was taking his German schnauzer Monty out for an early morning walk when he was struck by a bolt so powerful he would have been killed if he had not been wearing wellington boots.

The bolt threw Mr Thomas, who is the Mayor of Redruth in Cornwall, into the air and knocked him out.



He regained consciousness when five-year-old Monty, who had also been struck, began licking his face.

Mr Thomas struggled to stand but only managed to stagger several paces before he collapsed.

He managed to wrap his arms around Monty, who responded by dragging him the 100 yards home.



Faithful friends: Mr Thomas, knocked out by the lightning strike, only regained consciousness when Monty, a German schnauzer, started licking his face



Mr Thomas' shocked wife Sharen, 42, then took him straight him to hospital.

He told the Daily Mirror: 'I heard what seemed like an explosion in my head and the dog scream.

'He makes that noise when he rubs his nose on electrical fences so I think he may have been hit too.

'I saw my legs shoot out in front of me and I was thrown into the air.

'Some time after I came to my senses and found myself curled up in a ball on the ground with my fists clenched.



Ian Thomas, left, with the wellington boots that helped save him, and Monty, right, who managed to drag his injured master home



'I knew I wasn't dead because I could feel excruciating pain. I just trusted my instincts, reached out and grabbed hold of Monty'.

When Mr Thomas stumbled through the door his terrified wife thought he was having a heart attack.

Mrs Thomas, 42, told the Daily Express: 'He just walked in the front door and collapsed. I just knew we had to get him straight to hospital.

'He was confused and looked in pain. Monty was frightened too and ran into the house and covered his face with his paw'.

Doctors said the electrical charge of the bolt that hit Mr Thomas on October 17 was so huge that it would have killed him if it were not for his rubber wellies.

Mr Thomas suffered burns to his head and hip and had to spend four days in hospital but has since made a full recovery.



source: dailymail