Roof tiles came crashing down into the street, damaging cars, and bins were sent flying in Coalville
A freak tornado swept through a quiet town in Leicestershire today.
The freak weather struck Coalville at about 7am on Sunday morning.
Roof tiles came crashing down into the street, damaging cars, and bins were sent flying through the air.
Streets were strewn with debris, trees uprooted and the town's shopping precinct closed due to damaged roof. Several buildings had there windows shattered.
Teams of council workmen were sent in to help in the clear up.
Resident Vincent Bates, 64, said: "I woke up with a start and heard this loud rumbling followed by a bang.
"At first I thought it was a huge lorry or something but when I opened my curtains and looked out of my window I couldn't believe my eyes.
"There was a wheelie bin flying past and down the street, about 10 feet up in the air.
Some of the pics from @BarberyACW taken of the damage caused by a possible tornado in Coalville, Leicestershire pic.twitter.com/psN57AyaAA
— Charlie Slater (@CharlieSlater15) November 2, 2014 "There were roof tiles crashing down into the street and landing on cars and debris flying everywhere.
"It felt like a tornado ."
He added: "The whole thing can't have lasted more than two minutes before everything went dead quiet.
"I had a wander around the town and there is debris across I'd say a square mile area.
"Beyond that, everything seems okay.
Out with Cllrs @rustynail27 @CllrJohnLegrys inspecting tornado damage to Coalville. No lives lost thankfully! pic.twitter.com/7yrJuJMhYc
— Dr Theresa Eynon (@terrieynon) November 2, 2014 "I did see an ambulance in Belvoir Road and there are council workers in the street waiting for equipment to start cleaning everything up.
"A house across the road from me has half its roof missing.
"It was incredible, I've never seen anything like it."
Another resident, Kathryn Crick, said: "I woke up to this terrific rumbling and whirring sound. The windows were shaking violently and I instinctively jumped into the centre of the bedroom. I honestly thought it was an earthquake.
"But listening to this tremendous noise, you could hear it moving. It was like a giant vacuum cleaner passing over the top of the house.
"It lasted for a while and was gone. I looked outside and you could see its path in the field behind the house.
"There were fence panels down and branches everywhere. My next door neighbour's roof tiles came crashing down into the gardens below and a trampoline was lifted up and thrown into a fence.
"Looking at the field you can see all sorts of debris, including footballs and children's dolls. It was some kind of mini tornado, the like of which I've never experience before.
"It really was quite frightening."
