A mother told today how she frantically prayed for her six-year-old son's life as a tornado ripped through their home.

Stefan Zugor's face was cut by flying glass as the violent whirlwind carved a path of destruction through Bognor on Saturday night.

Stefan, who later drew a picture of his home being hit by the tornado, said: "I was walking across the landing and the glass struck me. I didn't know what was going on."

His mother Rebecca, 37, of Linden Road, said: "Everything just went crazy.

"I suddenly thought, 'It's a tornado' - and at that second there was a bang and flying glass everywhere.

"I just tried to grab Stefan to take him into the back bedroom and hide under the bed so I could protect him.

"It was extremely frightening. The glass from the windows was being ripped out, glass was absolutely everywhere and the noise was dreadful.

"Stefan was screaming and we got next to the bed and we just decided to pray to God to protect us from what was happening.

"It must have lasted a few seconds but at the time it seemed like minutes.

"I got tiny grazes on my wrist but my son got a nasty gash on his cheek and was in shock. He has been to hospital but didn't require any stitches."

Five people were injured when the twister swept in from the sea at about 5.15pm, causing damage to scores of homes which could cost hundreds of thousands of pounds to repair.

Emergency workers said the scale of the destruction was "far worse" than that caused by the Selsey tornado of January 1998.

In the space of five minutes, cars were overturned, walls knocked down and trees uprooted over a mile and a half.

Two women were injured when the twister ripped a caravan at the Riverside Caravan Park in Shripney Road from its footings and slammed it into another caravan.

A woman in her fifties suffered chest injuries and the other, in her sixties, hurt her shoulder and foot.

The park's club manager, Nicci Budd, said: "It was a huge gust of wind and the noise was tremendous. The tornado cut a diagonal line across our site."

A man and a woman suffered cuts to their faces when shards of glass scythed through the air at the Tesco car park in Shripney Road.

Linden Road, Nyewood Lane, Durban Road and a nearby industrial estate were worst hit by the tornado, which shattered roof tiles and windows. The gable end of one house collapsed and gardens were littered with masonry and other debris.

Environment minister Michael Meacher visited the town yesterday to assess the damage and talk to the victims.

Some residents, including Mrs Zugor and her family, took refuge in the Bognor United Reformed Church hall, Linden Road, while Arun Council found them emergency accommodation.

Vicki Bunn, 28, of Dorset Road, said: "We just can't believe the destruction. It happened so quickly and was over in less than two minutes. I haven't been able to stop shaking since."

Fire brigade Assistant Divisional Officer Andy Horner said: "The trail of destruction is quite narrow. Some houses have been badly hit while others nearby haven't been touched."

Jon Domaldsson, 41, of Essex Road, said: "A Volkswagen camper van overturned and a lot of other vehicles were turned over, while others were just thrown into each other.

"There are a lot of chimneys down and it's lucky no one was walking around because the tiles were flying around like bullets.

"I am from Iceland and used to extreme weather but I have never seen anything like this."

Phil Morgan, an insurance consultant who visited Linden Road, estimated repairs would cost up to £500,000 in that street alone.

He added: "Obviously if it starts raining then there will be water damage and the costs will probably rise."