A tornado has almost touched down in east Kent.

The freak weather, witnessed from Ramsgate by Martyn Harvey, was, in fact a funnel cloud, which is just one step away from a full-blown tornado

Funnel clouds are caused by warm air meeting cold air accompanied by high winds and are classified as tornados when the swirling cone actually touches down and makes contact with the land.

Mr Harvey said he was astonished to see the tornado forming on Friday.

“I have always been fascinated by these things and was extremely pleased to see one for real.

“I couldn’t quite believe my eyes.

“The funnel cloud started as a hundred-feet long cone snaking down from the cloud and as it approached Deal, it started to elongate, reaching a length of approximately 1000 feet.

“I then became seriously concerned that it may strike Deal but it eventually waned and moved away over Dover,” he said.