Cars were lifted from the road and windows smashed as a suspected tornado swept through Glemsford.

Experts say the winds could have been a tornado and are sending a team to investigate.

The very high winds lasted less than 15 minutes but caused chaos.

Angela Grayson, 50, of Parklands Close, said: "My children were looking out the window and suddenly started shouting that cars were being lifted into the air."

Son Christopher had his car windscreen smashed and two others parked on the drive were also damaged.

Two large holes were left in the garage roof and a tumble-dryer damaged by a falling slate.

She said: "We are worried about structural damage, as a lot of the roof slates on the house are loose and we do not know how the chimney might have been affected."

John Mustoe, 68, of Kings Road, had his front porch window smashed.

He said: "We were in the living room and heard a loud bang which we thought was a shot.

"When we came to look glass was everywhere.

"Thankfully, no one was hurt. It was lucky it was not the living room window."

Maureen Skip, 63, of Parklands Close, also lost slates from the roof of her home.

She said: "There are quite a lot of houses with slates missing."

Samantha Hall, of the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation, said: "The case in Glemsford could have been a tornado or a particularly fierce spell of straight-line winds that do not last long but can cause severe damage.

"However, we will be sending a team to Glemsford to investigate."

Great Yeldham also suffered in Saturday's storms, with one family having two trees brought down and lead ripped off a roof.

A tornado ripped the roof off a hotel in Haverhill.