Charity worker left stunned after spotting “mini tornado” spiralling over sleepy Yorkshire town

A CHARITY worker was left stunned after spotting a “mini tornado” spiralling over a sleepy Yorkshire town.

Jill O’Connell had been driving through the small market town of Leyburn, North Yorkshire yesterday when she spotted the unusual sight overhead.

The 57 year-old charity worker was in disbelief as she watched the billowing funnel of grey cloud above her rampage across the town in the distance.

Jill from Grinton, North Yorkshire grabbed snaps of the bizarre phenomenon, which has since been coined as a “mini tornado”.

Jill explained that following her snaps of the spectacle, the funnel appeared to grow even longer, leaving her grateful that she was a fair distance away.

Jill’s image shows a quiet road with two unfazed drivers cruising along below a bright white sky covered in puffy clouds.

Higher up in the sky is a thick grey cloud, which covers most of the area above a field.

A tiny grey funnel can be seen climbing down from the thick grey cloud, appearing to whirl far in the distance.

Jill shared the images to social media yesterday, writing: “Well, you don’t see this every day driving from Leyburn towards Patrick Brompton”.

The post received dozens of likes, comments and shares as many were stunned at the unusual sight – with some cracking puns in reference to the town and its surrounding areas in Wensleydale.

One person joked: “The end is neigh.”

Another jested: “If the apocalypse is going to happen anywhere, it’s Wensleydale.”

A third commented: “Mother Nature keeping us all on our toes.”

Another added: “Don’t need another big flood over that way – had their fair share.”

A fifth wrote: “I saw this – eek.”

Speaking to Jill today, she said: “I was driving along from Leyburn towards the A1 in the rain and as I approached Patrick Brompton I saw this funnel appear in the sky and it started to get longer towards the ground.

“I pulled over in a lay-by to take a photo. It disappeared nearly as soon as it appeared.

“I don’t know whether it actually touched the ground or not…quite surreal really.

“The only bit of excitement in my life at the moment! [I wasn’t] scared as it was quite far away – maybe if I’d have been nearer, yes.

“When I got to the care home where my mum is, I showed her the picture. My mum has dementia but is fascinated by the weather.

“She kept saying ‘Ooh, that’s fancy’. I was just fascinated really in seeing something like this in North Yorkshire. It made my day.”

Tornadoes are reported in the UK around 30 times a year, and are caused when warm, humid air mixes with cold dry air.

As the hot air rises, an updraft is caused and begins to rotate.