A MINI 'tornado' cut power supplies, disrupted rail services and brought down trees as it swept across Mobberley yesterday.
Cars were also damaged, roof tiles smashed and power supplies cut by the freak storm, which struck just before 5pm and left a trail of destruction.
It left what was described as a 'valley of horrific building damage'.
Scottish Power confirmed that the 'mini tornado' had brought down trees and taken out power supplies to properties in the Mobberley area.
Rail services were also affected after trees blocked the line between Mobberley and Stockport.
Cheshire East highways making the road safe by cutting branches down off trees damaged in the mini-tornado
Police put a number of road closures in place through Mobberley and Ashley due to several trees and power lines being down. This included Broadoak Lane, Station Road and Belmount Road.
The wind brought down a tree on a major road, as customers in a nearby pub watched.
Martin Kevill, 32, told the Press Association: "We were in the pub over the road and heard some pretty abnormal gusts.
"The pub rumbled and we ran outside to see what it was.
"The road was pitch black and it was really dark."
He continued: "When the gusts passed, a tree ripped up and fell over into a field of llamas.
"Then after a moment or two, the clouds moved along and it was actually quite clear again apart from the rain.
"I think a tree went over the train line a few metres away.
"The llamas are fine but there's a valley of horrific building damage through the area."
Mr Kevill, who works in the creative industries, added that there had been no warning about what was coming, but that the rain had been lashing down for about an hour before the tornado hit.
Met Office meteorologist Greg Dewhurst told PA the ingredients needed for a tornado are unstable air through stormy conditions and 'wind shear'.
Wind shear is air travelling in different directions at different heights in the atmosphere.
It is known as a funnel cloud until it touches the ground and causes damage. The UK normally sees between 30 and 50 a year.
Elsewhere, heavy rain showers caused flash flooding in areas including Christleton in Chester.
Cheshire East highways making the road safe by cutting branches down off trees damaged in the mini-tornado
Earlier this month, Northwich residents were left open-mouthed at a bizarre phenomenon called a ' hay tornado'.
Send your pictures of mini tornado damage to craig.manning@nqnw.co.uk or ian.ross@nqnw.co.uk
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