Georgia, who works at The Orange Tree Cafe on The Levee in Maitland was delivering coffee to a nearby business when she was struck by flying debri, the result of a lightning strike on a building opposite.

One rock she described as a bit bigger than a marble in size, clipped her ear, another rock, significantly larger than the first,  flew between her legs narrowly missing her.

The freak accident happened during Monday afternoon’s thunderstorm which cut a path of destruction through Kurri Kurri but left Maitland relatively unscathed.

For Georgia though, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

She had just set foot inside Dennerly Leather carrying coffee and tea when she head a clap of thunder then an almighty crack from a nearby lightning strike.

Lightning struck masonry on the facade of Hunter Mobility, next door to Ken Lane Menswear.

It gouged a hole in the building and sent masonry flying.

“The light flashed, I shook and spilled the coffee and tea,” she said.

“Rock was flying from everywhere.”

“I was in shock at first because I didn’t know what it was.”

Georgia said it was a close call for her boss who was crossing The Levee about one minute before the lighting strike.

“I usually like storms but this really shook me up. I never expected the lightning to be so close,” Georgia said.

Patrick Lane of Ken Lane Menswear, said there could have been worse injuries if it wasn’t for the torrential rain.

“The rain kept a lot of people indoors,” he said.

“The lightning strike sent masonry flying out onto the street and it’s lucky no one else was hit.”

Mr Lane said the lightning blew out fuses in the transformer and sparks were flying everywhere. He said it also“cooked” his store’s point of sale computer system, NBN and NBN back up battery.

“There’s still rubble out on the street after it gouged a big hole in the gable of Hunter Mobility. Apparently a fragment of the brickwork also ended up in Darby’s pie shop opposite.”

Mr Lane said his business was briefly out of action but Ausgrid and NBN workers were quick to act. While his computer system is still down he has gone back to using an old “click clack” Bankcard machine and pen and paper which is raising a few eyebrows, particularly from younger customers.

“Young guys coming in to get suits for their formals have no idea what the old click clack machine is. Some parents asked their children if they had seen them before or knew what they were and they just shook their heads,” Mr Lane said.