Incredible image captures a gigantic lightning bolt as it strikes the side of a mountain in America

The bolt of lightning can be seen piercing through the sky and igniting the trees on the hillside.

Phil, 28, who works at a ski resort in Santa Fe, only managed to grab one shot of the lightning bolt – but was perfect in his timing.

He said: “We were hiking up in the back trails when we saw one pop off right before that one – so I pulled out my camera.

“The sound – it was wild. We were kind of worried, so we got out of there pretty quick.

“You could feel the energy. It blew the tree into what had to be a million pieces – all that was left was the trunk.

“It was just smouldering.”