Spectacular footage emerged online showing a giant waterspout appears from sea as mudslides and torrential downpours hit the UK.
The rare sighting was spotted by residents living around Fowey in Cornwall on Tuesday when the Met Office issued yellow warning of thunderstorms in the area.
Video shared on social media captures the jaw-dropping size of the tornado on water barrelling near the “mouth of Fowey estuary”.
READ MORE: Met Office issues ‘danger to life’ thunderstorm warning as millions brace flash floods
The whirling stream of air and water mist forms a shape of a colossal funnel and can be seen snaking in the sky and reaching the clouds.
(Image: @mevaferry/Twitter)
Around the waterspout is a large patch of grey clouds.
Louisa McCartney posted a video on a Facebook group and said she saw the scene when she was heading back into Fowey.
One ferry passenger, Steve Roper, took a similar video showing the tornado “touching water in the mouth Fowey estuary”.
Viewers were stunned by the rare scene, with one commenting: “Oh my God I’ve never seen one In the UK before.
“I think these will be a normal thing soon with weather like we have been getting we will soon be like America.”
(Image: UK Weather Forecasts/Facebook)
Another said: “I was on the ferry! It was an amazing sight! But grown men saying they feared for their lives…give me a break!”
The scene came as local authorities in Somerset said more than 50 tonnes of mud had to be shifted off the A358 after a huge mudslide at Combe Florey.
The Met Office has issued several thunderstorm warnings for across the UK until the end of Wednesday, with the Environment Agency putting out 19 flood alerts in areas of the Midlands and south-east England.
(Image: UK Weather Forecasts/Facebook)
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It states: “While some places stay dry, others are likely to see thunderstorms with torrential rain bringing some disruption.
“Flooding of homes and businesses could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.
“Fast flowing or deep floodwater is possible, causing a danger to life.”
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