Tornado causes devastation (From Romsey Advertiser)

Tornado causes devastation

1:01pm Wednesday 4th November 2009 in News

A ROMSEY man has told of the devastation left in the wake of Tuesday's mini tornado that cut a path across Hampshire. Stuart Thorpe who lives at Woodley Close was in West Wellow when twister struck just before midday. "I was at West Wellow and I saw the trees being lashed around by wind. I thought to myself, it want be so bad when I get back to Woodley. When I drove up Woodley Close I spotted the huge tree which had crashed down on three garages including mine. A bough went straight through the roof of my neighbour's garage just missing his Kawasaki motorbike."

The 58-year-old contract cleaner added: " A Ford Escort, a Peugeot 306 and a Vauxhall Corsa were written off. If anyone had been in the compound when it happened they would not have stood a chance. I was more than shocked when I saw what had happened. I could not see the garages for tree branches. The tree was completely uprooted and it was a good 60 feet tall. Other trees nearby appear to be untouched. If the tree had gone over the other way it would have gone straight through the roofs of houses."

Romsey's World of Water aquatic centre in the town's Greatbridge Road was left without electricity for hours after fallen trees toppled by the destructive winds cut power supplies. Bosses had to bring in an emergency generator to maintain heating for tropical fish and other exotic animals at the attraction until the electricity was restored.

Trees blocked numerous roads and the A3090 at Ampfield was closed for most of the day because a large tree across the carriageway in the Potters Heron area.