At the time, he could see the sweeping storm of hailstones outside his windows... but was not prepared for the lightning blast which shattered his chimney stack, blew out the fireplace and his Sky box in a soot-filled burst which echoed the noise of war on his tv screen... and knocked out his home's electricity supply.
Fourteen chimney bricks were flung down, one hitting a car parked some distance away. Neighbours along his road were also shocked by the reverberations of the impact, and the scene which greeted his wife, Margaret, when she returned home.
"I was in Preston and there was nothing happening there!" she told The News on the day. "It was quite frightening to see what had happened to our home, but luckily builder Brian Buxton was working next door and secured the roof for us."
With no heat in the house, the couple stayed at the Corporation Arms until the damage had been assessed, the power restored and calm reigned once again in their home.
And Graham's keeping his army helmet to hand just in case there's another unexpected weather invasion!