Our windscreen was smashed... by a METEORITE! Family left stunned after car damaged in 'billion-to-one' chance
A shocked family found their car windscreen had been smashed - by a meteorite.
Paul Butler, 55, and his family were watching TV at home when they heard a loud bang outside.
They dismissed the noise as fireworks being set off on Boxing Day night and went to bed.
The next morning, Paul went outside his home in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, and noticed his parents' car windscreen was shattered.
His son Nathan, 12, discovered a small black shiny rock measuring around 2cm in length near the car which didn't match with any other stones.
The eagle-eyed schoolboy put a magnet next to the rock which revealed it was magnetised, a tell-tale sign the stone came from outer space.
Online research revealed it was most likely to be a piece of meteorite which plummeted to earth.
Nathan said: 'I was looking around on the ground near the car and right by the front wheel was a black rock that stood out from all the others.
Paul Butler and his son Nathan with suspected meteorite rock at their home in Statford-Upon-Avon
Paul went outside his home and noticed his parents' car windscreen was shattered
Nathan discovered a small black shiny rock measuring around 2cm in length near the car which didn't match with any other stones
'I wondered if it could possibly be a meteorite but wasn't sure until we used a magnet and researched it online.'
Paul, who runs a firm providing forensic science equipment, added: 'We all heard a loud bang in the night but didn't think anything of it.
'We assumed it was probably someone letting off a firework.
'It was only when we came down for breakfast the next morning that I saw my parents' car windscreen was smashed.
'I went outside with Nathan and he was looking around and found this strange black rock. It had a strange shape and looked like it had been burned.
'After Nathan tested it with a magnet we looked online and it looks like it was a meteorite.
'It is the only logical explanation for what caused the damage because it wasn't there when my dad drove into the driveway.
'It must have happened on the driveway. The glass was inside the car and was covering the dashboard and driver's seat.
Nathan plans to take the space rock to Myton School in Warwick where he attends, to show off to his classmates
Paul's parents were forced to drive their Toyota to a nearby garage where they had to explain the billion-to-one cause of the damage
'The impact looks like it splintered the glass and made a fair bit of damage but it's very lucky no one was inside at the time.'
Paul's parents Graham and June were forced to drive their Toyota to a nearby garage where they had to explain the billion-to-one cause of the damage.
Paul added: 'We found out it was about a billion-to-one chance of a meteorite hitting the car in our driveway so we've started buying lottery tickets.'
Nathan plans to take the space rock to Myton School in Warwick where he attends, to show off to his classmates.
