Villagers were left aghast after a freak whirlwind tore through the English countryside - and proved that pigs really can fly. Forty pigs were hurled through the air for over a quarter-of-a-mile as the tornado struck a farm at Sutton-on-Trent, near Newark, in Nottinghamshire, in the English north midlands.
A local farmer, Mr Michael Hewson, said yesterday: "There were dead pigs everywhere. Metal pigpens just took off. Some of the pigs were killed by the flying huts which had been carried up to half-a-mile away.
"I think some must have been killed by the wind because it was strong enough to pick up the huts which normally take four people to lift one of them."
A neighbour, Ms Allison Reed, whose home was badly damaged by the whirlwind on Sunday, said: "We looked up and saw these pig-huts swirling around 100 feet up in the air.
"My son shouted that he could see pigs being hurled around in the air among chimney pots and tiles. The low air pressure was unbelievable."
Paul Fletcher, seven, and his six-year-old sister, Anna, from Sutton-on-Trent, were taken to hospital after being cut by flying glass and debris as the wind ripped through the roof of their home. Lisa Roland (12), of Huthwaite, Nottinghamshire, was hurled across the room when lightning struck her brother's computer which she was using.
Weathermen said the storm was set off by a huge drop in air pressure over a relatively small area.