Tornado spotted over Preston

5:31pm Monday 7th July 2008

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A couple from Penwortham cheated death when a tornado missed them by inches yesterday afternoon.

Andy Wooldridge, who runs Martin Mere Wetland Centre near Burscough, and wife Jean, were walking round the centre when they were caught up in the storm.

The Met Office received dozens of reports of funnel clouds - tornadoes that do not touch the ground - across Lancashire on Saturday evening.

Longton-bred Mr Wooldridge, who attended Penwortham Secondary Modern School, said the experience, “made us feel very lucky.”

“The first thing I noticed was that the dogs were acting a bit strangely and refusing to move.

“Then I heard a noise like a train, which must have been the edge of it.”

He said the sky turned dark but he couldn’t feel the wind: “I have never experienced anything like it.”

“We get some strange weather up here but nothing like that.”

Mr Wooldridge, 50, said he didn’t even realise there had been a funnel cloud until he was informed by a neighbour.

He said: “The tornado itself can only have missed us by seconds.”

The Met Office received dozens of reports of funnel clouds across Lancashire on Saturday evening.

A spokeswoman said there had been an “unusual” number of sightings, but because they had received no evidence the cloud had touched the ground, it was not classed as a tornado.

Lancashire Fire and Police services said there was no reported storm damage.

* If you have pictures of the tornado email them to jwillis@prestoncitizen.co.uk