A family in Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, have described their miraculous escape after a suspected tornado ripped through their home during Storm Gerrit. Gareth Moody, his wife Lyndsey, and their four children were shaken but unharmed when extreme winds caused widespread damage in the area late on Wednesday night.
The couple's 21-year-old son narrowly avoided serious injury when a chimney collapsed into his upstairs bedroom, missing him by 'centimetres', Mr Moody told i. Ms Moody, a nurse, recalled hearing hailstones before 'the whole house began to shake'. The family fled after the chimney fell onto their son's bed, pushing him across the room in his chair.
Meteorologists believe a localised tornado may have hit Stalybridge around 11pm, leaving a path of destruction stretching for about two miles. Pictures show the roofs of both the Moodys' home and their neighbour's property almost entirely ripped off. Around 100 homes were evacuated, and Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident, later stood down.
Mr Moody's car was written off by falling debris, but he hopes his insured home can be repaired. 'There's other houses in the area affected but strangely we've borne the brunt of it. It's an act of nature, it's one in a million,' he said. No injuries were reported, but many residents were displaced.
The Met Office confirmed a supercell thunderstorm crossed Greater Manchester with a strong rotating updraft, suggesting a tornado was likely. Tameside Council opened Dukinfield town hall for shelter, though it was not needed. Police urged residents to avoid the area and not return to damaged properties until assessed by structural engineers.
