‘Mini tornado’ rips roof of Bridgwater property (From Bridgwater Mercury)
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‘Mini tornado’ rips roof of Bridgwater property
1:30pm Wednesday 6th February 2013 in News Exclusive By Kirsty James
Homeowner Michael Vincent assesses the damage after winds stripped the tiles from his garage. Photo: Jeff Searle.
“I DIDN’T feel safe”, says a Bridgwater woman after a ‘mini tornado’ ripped the tiles from her garage roof.
Jenny Vincent, from Avalon Road, was terrified when powerful winds lifted the tiles and sent them crashing onto her neighbour’s greenhouse in the early hours of yesterday morning (February 5).
Jenny, 36, told the Mercury: “I was about to go to bed, but I could hear the wind howling and shaking things outside around 1am.
“Then I just felt this enormous pressure like the windows were going to smash, followed by a loud noise unlike anything I’ve heard before, then the sound of breaking glass.
“It felt like the wind would damage the house. I didn’t feel safe.”
Jenny and her father, Michael, who owns the property, have been told it will cost £300 excess to repair the damage.
Michael, 64, said: “I was sleeping when it happened but it woke me up. It took out the power in the street lights temporarily. The force was amazing.
“There was a roaring sound which lasted a few minutes. I looked out the window and saw the rain was swirling like a miniature tornado.
“We’re lucky it only lasted a short time, or it could have done more damage.”
He said it was not the first time his home has been victim to high winds – the roof of the house was damaged during The Great Storm of 1987, which devastated the UK and killed 18 people.
