RESIDENTS were awoken in the middle of the night as a "tornado" left a trail of damage through their properties in the early hours.

The extreme weather hit Barton-on-Sea in the New Forest around 4am this morning.

Bournemouth Echo:

This map courtesy of www.netweather.tv/live-weather/radar shows the rainfall radar at 4am on Friday morning 

Garden fence panels were hurled out of place in high winds, with one smashing through a glass panel door of an address.

Roof tiles were flung across the neighbourhood and conservatories were damaged.

Resident Dave Thorne told the Daily Echo: "We woke up at about 4am. There was some noise and the weather was bad.

"The noise was like an express train and there was a massive crash. We wondered what was going on.

"Our neighbour said he saw what seemed like a white light.

"When we went to look we saw all the fences were broken. People have lost roof tiles.

"There is a little trail of destruction of around 150 yards.

"It looks like the tornado has gone down our back gardens."

Another Barton-on-Sea resident said a "terrific noise" had sent the cats "scatty".

Mr Thorne said the damage was localised to the Sea Road and Seaward Avenue area of the village.

"To be honest I was quite concerned until I realised it was just a tornado because it didn't feel like it," he said.

"It sounded like armageddon. The sound was just incredible."