IT was enough to put the wind up the most hardy Ryedale resident. Yesterday, the unlikely cry went up in Pickering: "Look out! Twister's a'comin'!"

The mini-tornado smashed a window and ripped roof tiles from businessman Tony Kemp's house. Fortunately, he escaped to tell the tale.

What with all this global warming we are becoming used to strange storms: tornadoes, giant hailstones, frog showers - nothing fazes us. In fact, the only freak weather that would really shock anyone is a spell of warm summer sunshine.

Updated: 11:14 Wednesday, July 03, 2002