Tornado damages zoo and properties in Hampshire

A tornado swept through areas of Hampshire leaving a zoo, properties and trees all damaged.

Signs, lampposts and vehicles in the car park at Marwell Zoo, near Winchester were damaged as the storm blew up on Sunday afternoon.

The nearby Marwell Manor Farm was also affected, with field shelters destroyed.

After assessing the footage from both places, experts confirmed the area had been struck by a tornado.

James Cretney, chief executive at Marwell Wildlife, said: “I couldn’t believe it. The car park looked like something from a Hollywood movie set, such was the force of this tornado.”

The zoo itself was not damaged and no-one was injured during the storm.

Customers who did not already have pre-booked tickets were earlier urged not to visit the park.

Thompsons Lane remained shut earlier because of the damaged trees, but the zoo was due to open as normal on Tuesday.

After looking at footage Paul Knightly, head of the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO), confirmed that a tornado had hit the area.

He said tornadoes typically formed beneath “powerful shower or thunderstorm clouds”.

“On rare occasions, some kind of pre-existing spin in the lower atmosphere can be stretched and tightened-up by the upwards-moving air, and this can spin-up a tornado,” he explained.

Mr Knightly said the UK was hit by around 30 to 35 tornadoes a year, but he said there was no indication they were on the increase.

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