"'Mike'" wrote
If you are having a belting thunderstorm and your telephone is fed
overhead, even a small part of the way, unplug your telephone. A
Lightening strike will 'approach' a telephone wire and if that wire is
attached to something connected to the Mains, then the Earth element in
that 'something will act as a lightening conductor and blow the equipment
up. Cordless telephones were, and maybe still are, very much prone to
being blown up. South Wight Borough Council's Offices were hit by a strike
and completely wrecked a huge telephone system.

Some years ago when I worked I arrived at the office, opened up, walked
round all floors and everything seemed normal. Later when the staff arrived
it became obvious all the phone lines were down. Called in the BT engineers
and when they looked in the cabinet the boards were just black charcoal,
amazing sight. A complete new cabinet and boards had to be installed.
Engineer said it could have hit the wires miles away and just chose our
system to wreck. A quiet day at the office was the result. :-)

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
just W. of London