Fire crews were called out to Hereford Court, Badlesmere Road and Kipling Walk on December 18 after residents reported that strong winds had caused damage to their homes.
The December 22 edition of the Eastbourne Gazette described the damage caused to 84-year-old Frederick Riddle’s home in Badlesmere Road.
Mr Riddle said he had ‘never seen weather like it’.
“It went extremely dark and we had a rumble of thunder too,” Mr Riddle said.
"It only lasted a few seconds but the winds were so strong and the hail stones sounded like a machine gun as they hit the kitchen window.”
Fire-fighters were also called to Kipling Walk after a garage roof ended up in a neighbouring garden. Residents in the Langney cul-de-sac also told the Gazette that the roof of a house had lifted in the high winds.
No-one was reported to have been injured in the freak weather conditions.
The pictures below were taken at the allotments in Gorringe Road which were ‘devastated’ by the ‘mini-tornadoes’.
1. Looking back at when ‘mini-tornadoes’ ripped through Eastbourne
Eastbourne Allotments and Gardens Society. (L to R): Cllr Neil Stanley, Cllr Graham Marsden, Gwyn Hughes Trustee of the Society, Cllr Nigel Goodyear, Ron Smith tennant and member of management committee, Mary D'ypres tennant. Photo: Stephen Curtis
2. Looking back at when ‘mini-tornadoes’ ripped through Eastbourne
Devastation at Eastbourne Allotments and Gardens Society in Gorringe Road Photo: Stephen Curtis
3. Looking back at when ‘mini-tornadoes’ ripped through Eastbourne
Devastation at Eastbourne Allotments and Gardens Society in Gorringe Road Photo: Stephen Curtis
4. Looking back at when ‘mini-tornadoes’ ripped through Eastbourne
Devastation at Eastbourne Allotments and Gardens Society in Gorringe Road Photo: Stephen Curtis