Residents were forced to run for cover when a freak tornado tore through a British town. The twister left a trail of destruction in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire, on Friday evening – causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Tiles were ripped off shop roofs and debris was left scattered across roads and gardens as the tornado passed through the town at around 7.15pm.
Father-of-two Stewart Southam, 52, was at home with his wife Helen, 49, when the freak winds ripped up nine of their 13 fence panels. The twister also sent their barbecue flying through the air and tossed their grandchildrens’ slide 60ft down to the bottom of the garden. Paint shop manager Mr Southam said: ‘It was surreal. We heard this noise like a low-flying aircraft and it got louder and louder.
‘I went inside to close the conservatory windows and for a split second everything was silent.
‘Then suddenly the barbecue and fence panels were all scooped up.
‘Everything ended up at the bottom of the garden.
‘It happened so quickly. It only lasted 15 to 20 seconds but the damage it left was unbelievable.’
The couple, who have two grown-up children and two grandchildren, are now waiting for insurers to visit to see if the damage is covered.
Mrs Southam, who also works at their paint shop, added: ‘I was making dinner and we were stood at the back door looking out at it.
‘The rain was literally horizontal. I have seen it coming down at an angle but never anything like that before.
‘It’s a big back garden, it’s about 100ft long. There’s around 13 fence panels and only four are left standing.
‘The barbecue is really large and heavy and that just got lifted up easily and slammed to the floor.
‘The fence panels were like a wave, they were rippling at the same time and six of them just went at once.
‘You can just walk into our neighbours garden now.
‘We don’t know how the insurance works with it being the weather, they might just class it as an act of God.’
Damage was also caused to the nearby Nisa Local shop which ended up with a hole in its roof after tiles were ripped off.
Other residents told how the twister wreaked havoc in the town despite just lasting for around 30 to 40 seconds.
Nicole Edwards, 38, who lives in Stapleford, said: ‘I was just at home and all of a sudden the wind just really picked up.
‘The rain was lashing against the window and when I looked outside the trees were bent over and there was debris in the sky.
‘It sounded like if you were on a motorway and opened the door, it was quite frightening.
Richard MacRae, an independent councillor for Stapleford on Broxtowe Borough Council, added: ‘Roof tiles have been ripped up and there is damage to fences and gardens.
‘The shops have a massive hole in the roof and when I drove past last night there was so much litter around that area.’
The Met Office confirmed the tornado – a violent rotating column of air – hit the town on Friday evening.
A spokesman said: ‘The evidence suggests it was a tornado, due to the damage.
