Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2012 8:41:13 GMT
They were stunned to find their homes, gardens and cars littered with the smelly marine algae after a stormy weather spout swept up the debris from a beach 20 miles away.
Weather experts believe the seaweed was picked up from Clevedon Beach in North Somerset by a twister during freak weather conditions on the coast.
It was then carried through the air - before being deposited on the quiet street in Berkeley, near Cheltenham, Glos.
Stunned engineer Dr Richard Overton, 55, and his wife Kay, collected an entire bucket full of the green slime from their front garden.
He said: "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.
10:32AM BST 08 Aug 2012
They were stunned to find their homes, gardens and cars littered with the smelly marine algae after a stormy weather spout swept up the debris from a beach 20 miles away.
Weather experts believe the seaweed was picked up from Clevedon Beach in North Somerset by a twister during freak weather conditions on the coast.
It was then carried through the air - before being deposited on the quiet street in Berkeley, near Cheltenham, Glos.
Stunned engineer Dr Richard Overton, 55, and his wife Kay, collected an entire bucket full of the green slime from their front garden.
He said: "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.
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"I've heard stories of fish being picked up and dumped by storms but never seaweed. I was just so surprised."
Other residents on 'The Common', an up-market lane which overlooks acres of fields, also found seaweed in their gardens.
Neighbour Steven Belton said: "We had really heavy rain yesterday, our garden was almost flooded.
"We didn't really notice anything out of the ordinary but after speaking to Richard and Kay we found quite a lot of the seaweed in out driveway.
"It's very strange; just so, so odd."
Weather expert, Ian Fergusson, from the Met Office, said the bizarre situation could have occurred because of thunderstorms on Clevedon Beach.
He said: "At the same time as this incident was reported there were several thunderstorms in the area, one of which pictured by satellites on a nearby beach.
"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.
"It is a very strange event but it is possible. Look out for fish in your garden too!"
Dr Overton and his wife said they have been trying to clear the rest of the algae with daughter Liz - but their garden is still covered.
Kay said: "We've managed to pick up quite a lot of it now but there is still loads there because it's camouflaged in the bushes and grass."
Husband Richard added: "It's a shame really because had it have been fish we could have made a tasty dish with it but you can't really do the same with seaweed.
"We've put it all in a big pot and we'll probably just wait for it to wither away. It's quite funny really, just so strange." ENDS
www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/9461243/Weird-weather-rains-seaweed-over-Gloucestershire-village.html
What I find odd about this is it only picked up seaweed,no sand,no pebbles or anything else from a beach
I'm glad it's not me cleaning up the slimy seaweed
Love suzy
Weather experts believe the seaweed was picked up from Clevedon Beach in North Somerset by a twister during freak weather conditions on the coast.
It was then carried through the air - before being deposited on the quiet street in Berkeley, near Cheltenham, Glos.
Stunned engineer Dr Richard Overton, 55, and his wife Kay, collected an entire bucket full of the green slime from their front garden.
He said: "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.
10:32AM BST 08 Aug 2012
They were stunned to find their homes, gardens and cars littered with the smelly marine algae after a stormy weather spout swept up the debris from a beach 20 miles away.
Weather experts believe the seaweed was picked up from Clevedon Beach in North Somerset by a twister during freak weather conditions on the coast.
It was then carried through the air - before being deposited on the quiet street in Berkeley, near Cheltenham, Glos.
Stunned engineer Dr Richard Overton, 55, and his wife Kay, collected an entire bucket full of the green slime from their front garden.
He said: "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.
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"I've heard stories of fish being picked up and dumped by storms but never seaweed. I was just so surprised."
Other residents on 'The Common', an up-market lane which overlooks acres of fields, also found seaweed in their gardens.
Neighbour Steven Belton said: "We had really heavy rain yesterday, our garden was almost flooded.
"We didn't really notice anything out of the ordinary but after speaking to Richard and Kay we found quite a lot of the seaweed in out driveway.
"It's very strange; just so, so odd."
Weather expert, Ian Fergusson, from the Met Office, said the bizarre situation could have occurred because of thunderstorms on Clevedon Beach.
He said: "At the same time as this incident was reported there were several thunderstorms in the area, one of which pictured by satellites on a nearby beach.
"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.
"It is a very strange event but it is possible. Look out for fish in your garden too!"
Dr Overton and his wife said they have been trying to clear the rest of the algae with daughter Liz - but their garden is still covered.
Kay said: "We've managed to pick up quite a lot of it now but there is still loads there because it's camouflaged in the bushes and grass."
Husband Richard added: "It's a shame really because had it have been fish we could have made a tasty dish with it but you can't really do the same with seaweed.
"We've put it all in a big pot and we'll probably just wait for it to wither away. It's quite funny really, just so strange." ENDS
www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/9461243/Weird-weather-rains-seaweed-over-Gloucestershire-village.html
What I find odd about this is it only picked up seaweed,no sand,no pebbles or anything else from a beach
I'm glad it's not me cleaning up the slimy seaweed
Love suzy
