Twister on Teesside: Huge 'tornado' hovers over North East as Britain is set to be battered by storms

• Funnel clouds were spotted in Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees last night 
• Experts say the extreme weather is a 'tornado that doesn't touch the ground'
• Britain is expecting mixed weather over the weekend with storms in the NorthTwisters have been spotted on Teesside as Britain prepares to be battered by storms over the weekend. 

  Turbulent weather spawned 'mini-tornadoes' in the North East yesterday, including in Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham. 

  Shocked onlookers shared pictures of the extreme weather on social media.

  NHS worker Dean Ball caught one of the natural occurring phenomenons — known as funnel clouds — on camera. Met Office Meteorologist Greg Dewhurst said a number of funnel clouds have been spotted over the last few days across the UK.

  He said: 'It's a tornado that doesn't touch the ground.

  'We have seen a few over the last few days actually, where there has been low pressure over the UK.'

  A funnel cloud was spotted in Lincolnshire just two days ago and last month one rampaged through Dagenham in east London. 

  The spinning fingers of cloud are caused by the collision of warm and cool air currents moving in different directions — and they can reach 300mph.

  

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  NHS worker Dean Ball caught one of the natural occurring phenomenons — known as funnel clouds — on camera

  

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  The funnel cloud sat just above a residential street in Dagenham, causing locals to take to social media to post pictures

  There was a yellow weather warning for rain in the south-east corner of the country where there is a risk of flooding until 8pm yesterday, with lighter showers expected this weekend.

  Mr Dewhurst has said there will be a north-south divide today, with warmer temperatures in Scotland and northern England than in the Midlands and further south.

  But Wimbledon fans can expect to stay drier than people in the North, which could see thunderstorms.

  Mr Dewhurst said: 'It's going to be a mixed weekend for the vast majority of us.

  'There's going to be a north-south split on Saturday — the North will see sunny spells and heavy showers which could contain thunderstorms, with maximum temperatures of 22C.

  'The South will see cloudy weather with patchy rain, and maximum temperatures of 20C.'