A COUPLE have described the terrifying moment their plane was struck by lightning.

Keith and Iris Oakes were on their way back from the Spanish island of Tenerife when the bolt of lightning hit and caused the plane's lights to go out.

The pair told how passengers screamed as they were plunged into darkness as the plane prepared to land at Manchester Airport.

Mr Oakes, aged 71, Higher Darcy Street, Darcy Lever, said he was already a nervous flyer before the incident.

He said: "I have never liked getting on planes before and this hasn't helped. We had just enjoyed a really nice and relaxing holiday in Tenerife and were heading home.

"I was sat near to the window and the flight was fine until suddenly as we were beginning our descent into Manchester the bolt struck on the wing of the plane."

Mr Oakes described seeing "a quick flash of blue and green" out of the window.

He said: "To be honest my initial thought was that one of the jet engines had blown out, it was really scary and some people screamed, I hate flying anyway and this hasn't helped but once it had happened the captain spoke to us and was very reassuring before we landed safely."

The Oakes' flight was with Monarch Airlines and a spokesman for the firm said that lightning strikes are common on aeroplanes and that crafts are designed to withstand them.

A spokesman for Monarch Airlines said: "I can confirm that there was a lightning strike on the flight from Alicante to Manchester on Sunday December 7.

"The report from the captain confirmed that the event did not affect the aircraft and that the rest of the approach and landing continued normally.

"Lightning strikes are a common occurrence and modern commercial aeroplanes have design features to protect instruments and structure should a lightning strikes."