Tornado-like vortexes have been spotted over the county as heavy rain is set to fall.

There have been several sightings of the unusual funnel clouds over locations including Detling, Rainham and Stockbury this afternoon.

A funnel cloud spotted over Stockbury this afternoon (video: Lisa Webb)

Lisa Webb had been at home in Hartlip with her family when they spotted the phenomenon forming over Stockbury at about 3.45pm.

"It was just cloudy with no rain, and we saw it starting to emerge, coming down," said the 49-year-old.

According to the Met Office, funnel clouds don't usually reach the earth's surface, but if they do they becomes tornadoes.

"It was coming down quite to a point," said Miss Webb, who estimates the formation lasted about 15 minutes. "We didn't know anything about funnel clouds - we thought it was a tornado.

"It was exciting, as it's not right on your doorstep!"

Mum of two Tracey Armstrong, 52, was at her father-in-law's home in Parkwood, Rainham, when she saw a vortex appear from the clouds.

She said: "It was amazing, I said to everyone 'look, quick there's a funnel cloud' and they all turned around to see it.

"It was there for about four minutes and you could really see it swirling around and then it kind of got sucked up and disappeared."

The former teaching assistant, of Long Catlis Road, added she was really excited as she'd "love to see a tornado in real life".

More than 30 miles away in Headcorn, Mark Batcheldor also spotted a funnel cloud.

The Gravesend resident was on his way home after enjoying a day out with his wife Elise and children Lucie, 11, and Jake, eight.

They were travelling along country lanes between Headcorn and Leeds Castle when they spotted the cloud.

"We'd come through some horrendous weather when we looked up and saw it," said the 48-year-old Transport for London training manager.

"It must have been going for two or three minutes. My wife leant out of the passenger side window and took the photo.

"The kids started to get a bit worried though, thinking it was a twister and was getting closer."

Mason Maclean was in Orchard Drive, Sittingbourne, when he spotted the phenomenon.

"I spotted what looks to be a tornado that hasn't quite yet touched ground," he said.

"It was just above the apple orchards nearby in Newington, Sittingbourne."

Best friends Steven Bashford, from Dover, and 27-year-old Shane Wilkinson, spotted a funnel cloud over Detling near Maidstone at about 4.30pm.while driving on the M20.

"We were just really excited to see it - it's a sight we've never seen before," said Steven, 29.

"When I took the photos it was just starting, but it definitely looked like it was starting to touch the ground about three or four minutes later.

"It was around for about four or five minutes, then disappeared.

"From Maidstone all the way down to Canterbury it's been a huge weather system with very heavy rain the whole way down."

No official weather warnings are currently in place, but the Met Office is predicting heavy rain will batter Kent this evening.

For all the forecasts, warnings and weather related news, click here.

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