STALYBRIDGE TORNADO: Woman, 65, describes harrowing moment window is blown in by 80mph winds

Denise Burrows (nee Devine) recalls the moment she discovered violent storm-force winds had torn her bedroom apart during last night's tornado.

The 65-year-old, whose home was renovated only weeks ago, said: "I was at my daughter's house when we got the call from my neighbour. 'Dee I think you need to come home,' he was telling me, 'I can't find your windows.' I sort of laughed at first, I thought it was a bizarre thing to say and I didn't know what he meant.

"But when I realised he was serious, we headed back to mine and I couldn't believe it. As we were driving, we were weaving in between trees that had fallen into the road and there was debris all over the place, I'd never seen devastation like it.

She continued: "When I arrived at the front of my house, I just screamed. I was absolutely petrified - shaking more than I ever have in my life.

"I didn't know what to think and I couldn't even speak, I was just in shock. Then you start thinking about all the 'what ifs' - I'd normally have been in bed at that time and if that had been the case, then my dog would have been lay under the window. I can't bear to even think about that."

Dee has lived in the property on Huddersfield Road for 14 years and said this is 'the last thing' she would have expected.

She added: "Lots of the belongings in my bedroom are wrecked but to think that further up the road there's even more destruction is just awful, my heart goes out to them.

"I've not read or watched anything about it on the news yet but I'm just hoping and praying that everyone is safe and no one was injured. I just wish I had a massive house to bring everyone in and give them things to help them."