A garden wall was blown over and several homes were damaged as a mini tornado swept along the Sussex coast.

Residents on the trail of damage from Rottingdean to Newhaven heard a sudden train-like noise followed by high winds which blew tiles off roofs, damaged fences and smashed greenhouses.

Elizabeth and Peter Worsfold were sitting in the living room of their home in Lenham Road West, Rottingdean, when the tornado moved east through their back garden.

Mrs Worsfold said: "It was all very sudden and frightening. The whole thing was peculiar. It sounded like an express train coming and then it was gone again."

The couple went outside to discover a 9ft high garden wall had been destroyed and a greenhouse and fencing severely damaged.

Mrs Worsfold said: "The wall was built after our old one was blown over by the big storm in 1987.

"The bricks were nine inches by 18, so you don't expect the wall to blow over. It must have been very powerful."

East Sussex Fire Brigade answered several damage calls, but reported no injuries.

The storm caused flooding in parts of Peacehaven, New-haven and the Old Town area of Hastings in the early hours of Saturday.

The whirlwind ripped tiles from the roof of Lilian Greening's bungalow in Gladys Avenue, Peacehaven.

She said: "We heard this noise like a train for a couple of seconds. It was really loud.

"We thought nothing more of it. In the morning we opened the door to find an awful mess.

"There were tiles everywhere and a big wooden wheelbarrow full of plants had turned over."

A fire brigade spokesman said: "It was a pretty fierce night."