A 'TORNADO' has been reportedly sighted from homes in County Durham and Darlington as shocking pictures have emerged.

The bizarre and extremely unusual event was pictured by residents across the area on Friday afternoon.

The BBC's Look North weather presenter, Jen Bartram later tweeted saying that it is a funnel cloud, while suggesting more could be on the way.

Read more: What will the weather be like for the Euro 2020 finals on the weekend? 

Residents reported seeing the event take place at around 12.10pm as clouds appeared to form a funnel towards the ground. 

One Newton Aycliffe resident, who saw the event and "jumped" in the car, said they had never seen this happen before. 

He said: "This was the first time I have seen something like this. You see this on the news, see on social media, but you never expect to see it yourself.

"I jumped in the car and went after it."

The Northern Echo:

The funnel cloud captured in Darlington Picture: IAN ALDERSON 

The Northern Echo:

Another picture captures the scene in Darlington Picture: MARK BROWNLESS/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo:

The event pictured near Newton Aycliffe Picture: IAN YARROW/NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB

The Northern Echo:

The funnel cloud near Newton Aycliffe as it appeared to dissipate Picture: GRANT PARKER

Meanwhile, social media has been alive with people in and around the area sharing their own pictures as the event appeared.

BBC Look North's Jen Bartram tweeted that such funnel clouds had been reported across the region.

She said: "What I would say is that there are a LOT of funnel clouds around - and the thunderstorms likely to get going a bit more across the North East this afternoon."

What is the difference between a funnel cloud and a tornado?

The Met Office says that a funnel cloud and tornado can be distinguished on whether it touches the land or not.

It says that a funnel cloud does not reach the earth's surface, while it only becomes a tornado if it reaches land.

In a typical year, the UK sees around 30-35 tornadoes each year, though it is very rare that are they strong enough to cause any significant damage.

Read more: Met Office explain difference between funnel cloud and tornado after sighting

MeteoGroup weather forecaster Billy Payne previously said that tornadoes and funnel clouds were not uncommon in the UK, although the tornadoes witnessed here were usually a great deal weaker than the destructive variety often seen in the US.

Those comments were made as similar scenes were reported back in 2014 when resident Mark Williams spotted one in Darlington.

He said: "Funnel clouds can be a cause for concern, particularly if they touch down, as that is when they become a tornado.

"We have seen heavy showers and thunderstorms, and high-level changes of wind direction, which are conducive to tornado and funnel cloud development."

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