Returning home the next day, she came back to piles of burnt debris left by the lightning that struck her house during the storm that swept through the south west last Tuesday night.

She and her partner Rick Waters, who grew up in Woodstock and Wyangala, returned after the storm to find their home destroyed by lightning, finding their oven melted by its intense heat, with the fridge and stove also disfigured among the rubble.

A nearby tree was completely destroyed, its deep roots torn out of the ground by the lightning and parts of its body thrown metres to the ends of their yard.

“You just don’t expect your house to be hit by a bolt of

lightning and for it to explode,” Ms Vella said.

Everything the couple owned - bar the clothes they were wearing and the tools in Mr Waters’ truck - was inside that house when the lightning struck it, including their photographs, a piano and their records.

Ms Vella said many of their items were unrecognisable, and that they had not taken out home contents insurance.

The couple had decided not to come home from Cowra that night because of the storm and had been too tired for the journey.

They said the community has given them support since losing their home.

“It’s only been two days and since then we’ve had so many supporting us. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and support,” Mr Waters said.

Staying in Cowra with Mr Waters’ parents, John and Chris, they will now try to find a new home.