When I was a little boy, (well before the second world war - around 1935, I remember quite clearly I was sitting in the garden playing, suddenly my gran came flying out of the kitchen, and started grabbing the washing off the line and then huge drops of rain began to fall - all of a sudden there was a huge flash of lightening and it hit the tree in the field right next to the garden, that happened to have a cow under it - it earthed itself via the cow and she gave a bellow and fell on her side - the thunder was deafening - poor old Bessie bought it - she had a scorchmark from her horn all the way along her body and down her back leg. They had the 'man from the ministry' come and confirm she'd been killed by lightening - my grandad was really annoyed as she was one of his best milkers after that my gran used to grab what she could (usually me, mum and my sister) and hide under the stairs cupboard whenever there was a storm. I never bother to unplug things - and don't know anybody who does!