Mini tornado rips through village lifting campervans and hurling possessions

11 June 2024 , 09:41

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Mini tornado spotted at Borth and Ynyslas Golf Club in Mid Wales (Image: Tom Kistruck/SWNS)

A mini tornado ripped through a village - lifting campervans and hurling possessions over the local golf course.

The twister hit Ynyslas in Wales - breaking tables and sending camping equipment and possessions flying. Shaun Watts and his dad Steven were in their campervans on Borth and Ynyslas Golf Club's car park when they heard a load roar. The front of Steven's van lifted off the ground - and Shaun says that his own van briefly left the ground entirely, rolling him out of bed and startling him awake.

The wind blew mobility scooters around and even snapped a frying pan. Shaun said they suffered around £700 damage. He said: "It was like a lion roaring. Honestly, it felt like being hit by a lorry the way the campervan lifted up. We have been camping here for three days and thought it was quite a sheltered spot near the sea wall.

Damage to Shaun Watts' and dad Steven's camping equipment and possessions caused by the mini tornado (Shaun Watts/SWNS)

"Around 6.30am we were woken up by the sound and both our campervans being lifted at the front. Most of our things have been lifted and thrown over the golf course, with some items travelling over the houses near the road. A table we had has been snapped in two and even a frying pan has been almost bent in half and had its handle snapped off."

Shaun, his son, and his dad Steven, spent the rest of the morning searching for their possessions - which they found scattered around the nearby golf course. Shaun says the force of the wind has damaged his campervan, his camping gear, and even his vehicle. "That's how strong the wind was," Shaun said.

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A pan which was damaged in the storm (Shaun Watts/SWNS)

"Both my father and me have mobility scooters and they were both moved by the winds too. We have expensive wind breakers and they've been ripped in half. Stones have been lifted around our campervans but there are other vans either side that were untouched. The guy next to us has a bike outside and that's still there.

"My van was lifted and front wheels, drop links and tyres have been damaged. I think in total I have lost around £700 worth of things. We are a little shook up but okay." The incident happened at around 6.30am on Friday June 7, 2024.

Rom Preston-Ellis