SHOCKED eyewitnesses believe they may have seen a tornado over the Medway Towns last night.

They reported seeing a mysterious black cone-shaped column in the sky over the Great Lines in Gillingham drifting slowly towards Chatham.

However, the emergency services received no reports of storm damage and had been given no warnings by the Met Office.

The huge mystery object was seen at around 6.30pm. Among the eyewitnesses were members of a firefighter crew.

Leading firefighter Craig Chapman and his colleagues saw the object as they drove along North Dane Way in Chatham. Mr Chapman said: "We were heading towards Luton and we could see these huge grey and black clouds in a cone shape.

"They appeared to be over the Great Lines and heading towards Chatham. Yet our station received no reports of any storm damage last night. I am sure it was a tornado but it must have been a freak occurrence."

Residents in Saxton Street, Gillingham, also said they saw a long, black spiral column in the sky at about this same time.

One, Nigel Elms, 33, took photographs of the spectacle. He said: "I am sure it was a tornado. I could see its funnel and it was turning." Neighbour Maurice Coultrue, 72, said: "I could see from my garden a big black spiral, which appeared to be in a north-westerly direction. It was an amazing sight."