VILLAGERS in Martley were left to clear up after a large willow tree was uprooted by a mini tornado – and there could be more on the way.

Residents of St Peter’s Drive and surrounding roads saw and heard the ‘twister’ at about 8pm on Tuesday night. They described 60 dramatic seconds which saw trees bent double, a dust cloud form and heavy wooden furniture blown across gardens by strong winds thought to be travelling at more than 60mph. The willow tree, which sits next to Heaton Home, a housing development for people aged 60 and above, fell just yards from homes and cars.

Elizabeth Kendall, of Jury Lane, said: “It went dark and then all my trees started to go round in a circle.

“It was so quick. I heard the noise of the tree falling. It was just like a thump.”

Josie Davies, of Nash Close, said: “My son came back and said there had been a terrible wind around Heaton House and it had blown the dog over and he had had a job to stand up himself.

“I’m so glad the tree didn’t go the other way towards the home.”

Pat Owen, of Jury Lane, who also saw the twister, said: “I was looking out of the window and all of a sudden a dust storm came and the tops of the trees absolutely went ballistic.

“The noise was amazing. All our doors downstairs blew open.“ Worcester News weatherman Paul Damari said he believed it was a tornado caused when a funnel cloud formed below a thunderstorm and made landfall. He warned weather conditions remained ideal for them to develop.

Yesterday, the road was closed as a tree surgeon removed the debris left by the tree Incredibly, there was very little other damage caused with residents reporting just a few fallen roof tiles.

However, a damson tree was also knocked over in the garden of Alan Colburn’s home in Jury Lane.

He said: “I just heard a noise and looked out and the whole garden was filled with leaves just going round and round and round.

“We couldn’t see anything but leaves.

“The tree just came crashing down.”

Richard McHugh, of Vernon Close, said the twister came down Hollins Lane and headed north between Mortlake Drive and Jury Lane.

He said: “It just went through probably 60 yards wide.

“It was probably only 60 seconds.

“We have a little weather gauge which goes up to 60mph and it went off the end of that and got stuck.”

His wife Helen said: “Afterwards it was just silent and completely still. It was quite weird.”