Storm coats neighborhood in seaweed

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BERKELEY, England, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Residents of a British neighborhood 20 miles from the nearest beach said a storm rained seaweed down on their homes and yards.

Neighbors in Berkeley, England, said they emerged from their homes after strong thunderstorms to find slimy seaweed had coated their homes and yards, The Sun reported Thursday.

"I looked out of the window after a very big storm finished and to my amazement there were lots of flakes of seaweed scattered over the garden," resident Richard Overton said. "I've heard stories of fish being picked up and dumped by storms but never seaweed. I was just so surprised."

Ian Fergusson, a weather expert with the Met Office, said the seaweed was likely carried by a small tornado from a beach in Clevedon, England, about 20 miles from Berkeley.

"If one of the funnel clouds touched down onto the beach, making it a tornado, it could have quite possible picked up the seaweed and other debris if the tide was out and then later dumped it down the road at Berkeley Heath," he said. "It is a very strange event but it is possible. Look out for fish in your garden too!"