Rare waterspout may have caused tree and house damage on Essex coast

Strong winds damaged trees and a house in Frinton-on-Sea, a seaside town in Essex on England's east coast, on Sunday morning. The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO), a UK group that tracks such events, says a rare waterspout may have been responsible, though the exact cause has not been established.

Residents reported that the winds struck at about 11:40 BST. Damage was seen in the Rainham Way and Stansted Way areas. Roof tiles on one house were damaged and its chimney stack was left smashed on the ground. Some trees were also felled.

Eyewitness account

Local resident Gillian Lamb was gardening in nearby Newport Way at the time. She said leaves and sticks swirled around her, which was not normal behaviour for them. The rain then grew heavier and she went indoors. According to Lamb, the fierce winds lasted no more than five minutes and blew the cushions on her garden furniture around. Her own property was not damaged.

Why a waterspout is possible

A TORRO spokesperson explained that, although high pressure dominates much of the UK at present, a cold pool of air aloft is moving westwards from the continent. Sitting above seas warmed by what they called such a hot summer, it has produced instability. Reports of waterspouts off the Kent coast had already been received earlier on Sunday morning, so the event may have begun as a waterspout that came ashore.

Waterspouts are a type of tornado that forms over water, and the damage they cause is typically less extreme. Whether this was a tornado or just strong, gusty winds linked to showers will only be known after a full investigation of the damage, which TORRO will carry out. It has asked anyone with information to get in touch.

The Met Office, the UK's national weather service, said it had not been sent any footage of tornado activity from Frinton. It added that the setup of thunderstorms and intense showers in the area made the idea very plausible.