A MINI whirlwind was spotted in the centre of Blackbird Leys during this afternoon's hail storm, while this tree was split in two in Cowley.

The heavens opened earlier this afternoon with rain and hail falling on Oxford for around half an hour.

The tree in the main picture above and below was ripped apart in Barns Road in Cowley.

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  • Picture of the tree in Barns Road, Cowley, courtesy of reader Alan Wild

​Reader Harry Lillis sent in this video shot around the Leys.

 
Post by Dave Beesley.

 

During this downpour the whirlwind was spotted in the Cuddesdon Way area at around 6.15pm for several minutes.

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Onlooker Andrea Simms, who took the picture above, said: "The trees in Cuddesdon Way have all come up. It was pretty scary."

Nat Williams took this picture of what looks like a whirlwind forming at Clifton Hampden bridge.

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The brewing storm was also captured by Malcolm Yarnell, below.

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We've also had this picture from one our WhatsApp readers, Lindsay Gander, of flashflooding and what she said was a floating manhole cover in Foxwell Drive on the Northway estate.

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Lorraine Wharton also grabbed her phone to record the downpour.

 

 
Post by Lorraine Wharton.

 

Ian Pinnell caught the hail on this video:

Meanwhile, another of our WhatsApp readers, Angela Day, sent in these two pictures of a tree getting a pretty savage hair cut in Greater Leys.

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On Facebook, reader Sharron Milton said: "I live to the off to the right of Barns Road and I saw the hailstones spinning in circles and a bird get spun around in the sky."

Miranda Cornish added: "A phone line is down and a tree is down in someone's garden, can't see if it has gone through the windows though on Peregrine Rd, police, fire engine and half the neighbours out and about."

Oxford Mail:

Jonathan McIlwaine took the picture above and said: "It was at the Oxford Retail Park this evening at around 6.00pm.

"Lots of black swirling clouds and then crack of thunder and what seemed like a tornado. Sheets of rain and signs and trolleys blown through the car park.

"Lots of people in Tesco streamed to the door to see what was going on."

 

 

 

And James Arcenal sent in this picture below: "A tree split to half blocking the footpath at Cranesbill Way in Greater Leys."

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Danielle Queripel sent in these hail stones that fell on Wantage.

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Meanwhile, Botley kopped more of the same, as this image from Claire Parke demonstrates.

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Samantha Lyon sent in these five photos and said: "Damage in Ladenham Road, Blackbird Leys. My boys and I love storms but watching this was a tornado and was pretty scary!!! Being the mother I am I was the only mother out in my PJ after a lot hot day pulling the branches out the road ready for my husband's return."

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