Rare footage shows the moment a lightning bolt slammed into the sea off the English coast.

The video taken off Portland, Dorset, shows a massive arc of lightning hit and light up the stormy seas at around 15:15 on Sunday (October 23).

Experts at NASA estimate that despite 70% of the earth being covered by water, just 2% of lightning strikes occur over water.

Dorset was battered by thunderstorms and a band of heavy rain overnight on the weekend.

Charlotte Chapman, 32, snapped the footage and accompanying photograph. The stock control supervisor for bookers wholesaler has just moved back to Portland, an isolated island attached to the coast by a sand bar, after having lived in Bristol for the past 11 years.

She said: "All I've done is stare out to sea since I've been home. I've missed this so much and taken it for granted when I lived here as a child and young adult - hence after a quick weekend break with my partner, we both decided to move back home.

"This picture was taken from the top of Woolcombe Road. I had been watching the storm coming in and managed to get a video and freeze framed this amazing shot."

Rare footage shows the moment a lightning bolt slammed into the sea off the English coast. The footage taken off Portland, Dorset, shows a massive arc of lightning hit and light up the stormy seas at around 15:15 on Sunday (23/10). Experts at NASA estimate that despite 70% of the earth being covered by water, just 2% of lightning strikes occur over water. Dorset was battered by thunderstorms and a band of heavy rain overnight on the weekend. Charlotte Chapman, 32, snapped the footage and accompanying photograph. The stock control supervisor for bookers wholesaler has just moved back to Portland, an isolated island attached to the coast by a sand bar, after having lived in Bristol for the past 11 years. She said: "All I've done is stare out to sea since I've been home. I've missed this so much and taken it for granted when I lived here as a child and young adult - hence after a quick weekend break with my partner, we both decided to move back home. "This picture was taken from the top of Woolcombe Road. I had been watching the storm coming in and managed to get a video and freeze framed this amazing shot."