Eastbourne retro: Looking back at when ‘mini-tornadoes’ ripped through the town in 2010

‘Mini-tornadoes’ ripped through parts of Eastbourne in December 2010. Take a look back at photos of the destruction caused by the weather phenomenon.

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’.

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