A SHOPPER spotted a tornado in the skies above Braintree as strong winds and rain battered Essex on Sunday.

Chris Lloyd captured pictures of the twister near a Tesco supermarket as he collected his shopping. 

He said: "It was around 2.45pm today at Marks Farm Tesco.

"I was pretty surprised to see it, although it was remarkably calm. 

"I just happened to look to other side of the car park and saw it.

"I was keeping eye on it just in case though.

"It was not what I was expecting when I picked up my shopping."

Read more: Essex Weather Centre warns of 'short-lived tornadoes and frequent lightning'

The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for south Essex from Sunday morning at 5am to midnight on Sunday, warning of thunderstorms which could lead to flooding.

The Met Office says: "Heavy showers and thunderstorms may lead to flooding and transport disruption in places on Sunday."

Met Office: What to expect

  • Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures
  • Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services
  • Flooding of homes and businesses could happen quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds
  • Power cuts might occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost