A giant waterspout has been spotted off the British coast as wild weather sparked fears of tornadoes sweeping across the country.
The huge spinning column of air and water was seen off Looe, Cornwall, on Monday after turbulent conditions hit parts of the UK.
Possible tornado activity was also reported in Kent and Essex, where fierce winds damaged homes and trees.
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An eyewitness in Cornwall said the waterspout moved along the eastern side of Looe Island before tracking over the coast and bringing heavy rain.
Meanwhile, residents in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, reported a sudden blast of powerful winds at around 11:40 am on Sunday, as reported by What’s The Jam
Damage was reported to trees and a house around Rainham Way and Stansted Way, with roof tiles torn off and a chimney stack smashed to the ground.
Resident Gillian Lamb was gardening at her nearby home in Newport Way when the winds struck.
She said: “Leaves and sticks were doing a little swirl” and “did whoosh all around”.
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“It wasn’t a normal sort of behaviour for the leaves,” she added.
“Then the rain came a bit heavier, and then we just went inside because obviously it had got too difficult to garden.”
The fierce winds lasted no more than five minutes, she said, blowing cushions off her garden furniture.
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Her own property escaped the damage, but a neighbouring home was hit.
Experts at the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) said it was too early to confirm whether the Essex incident was a tornado or strong gusts linked to showers.
However, they said a waterspout could have formed over the sea before moving inland, following similar reports off the Kent coast earlier on Sunday.
A TORRO spokesperson said: “We have already received reports of waterspouts off the Kent coast earlier on Sunday morning, so it’s possible this may have been a waterspout initially that came onshore.
“We won’t know exactly whether this was a tornado, or just strong, gusty winds associated with the showers, until a full investigation into the damage has been undertaken.”
Despite high pressure dominating much of the UK, experts said a “cold pool aloft coming westwards” from the continent had created unstable conditions above unusually warm seas following a hot summer.
Waterspouts are a type of tornado that form over water. They typically cause less severe damage because they develop over the sea, although they can be dangerous if they move ashore.
TORRO is appealing for anyone with information about the incidents to contact the organisation.
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