Bins sent flying through Swindon street by 'mini tornado'

Rubbish was strewn through the streets after the strong gust of wind blew through Gaynor Close, in Abbey Meads, on Thursday morning at around 8.30am.

It sent blue recycling bags, food waste containers and recycling boxes flying through the air.

The moment was captured on a Ring doorbell camera by homeowner Iain Inglis.

In the footage, the neat and ordered recycling can be seen completely succumbing to the wind and being blown into a circle. 

And while it is not confirmed, Iain did describe it as a mini-tornado. 

There's a tornado warning in Swindon until 4pm, so could this strong recycling-obliterating gust of wind moving in a seemingly circular motion from Abbey Meads be a possible first sighting? @swindonadver pic.twitter.com/Ax2zcNWoVp

— Daniel Wood (@DanWood_Adver) February 22, 2024

Iain, who was out at the time of the windy incident, recalled his wife Jacqui's reaction. 

"My wife was in at the time, I wasn't because I was driving to Brecon in Wales.

"She was amazed to see everything flying around, she'd never seen anything like it before."

But not happy to leave the mess behind, Jacqui went out and tidied it all up, leaving the place looking like nothing had ever happened. 

The street after it had been tidied up by Jacqui Inglis who 'could not believe' what she was seeing. (Image: Iain Inglis)

When Iain got home, he checked the footage on his doorbell camera and posted a video onto Facebook.

In the post, he said: "Seems the weighted bags aren't weighted enough, saying that the boxes went flying too.

"Mini tornado?

"About the only thing that might have survived would have been a wheeled bin."

While there is no confirmation this was officially a tornado, it does come after several weather warnings have been issued for Swindon - including a warning of "isolated tornadoes".

The Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) issued a warning from 1am until 4pm on Thursday across much of southern England and south Wales.

Forecasters warned of isolated brief tornadoes, wind gusts between 55 and 60 miles per hour, hail and isolated cloud-to-ground lightning.

There was also currently a yellow weather warning for rain which covers Swindon and Wiltshire from the Met Office.

This warning is in place from 5am until 6pm on Thursday and people have been warned heavy rain may lead to flooding and disruption in some places, particularly with public transport like trains and buses.