A GWENT woman says she and her boyfriend feared for their lives when a mini tornado wrecked her home.

Joanne Hale of Glan Ebbw Terrace, Abertillery, was sitting in her living room with her boyfriend Stuart Jones when the severe weather phenomenon swept through the town.

We revealed yesterday how the mini tornado, caused by changes in wind direction and temperature, left a trail of damage costing more than £150,000 in its wake.

Tiles and large sheets of perspex from the roof of the Tesco superstore were ripped off and sent flying in the direction of Ms Hale's rented house - causing thousands of pounds worth of damage there.

Three windows were smashed and a front door was ruined when the debris came crashing down at 3.30pm on Saturday.

Shards of glass were also sent flying through the living room and hallway.

Despite the extensive damage, Ms Hale says she is grateful no serious injury was caused during the terrifying incident.

She said: "We were very lucky because me and my boyfriend were in the living room when it happened. The window smashed, sending glass flying everywhere.

"We ran into the kitchen and hid behind the breakfast bar until it passed.

"It was really bad and something which I wouldn't want to go through again."

The windscreen of Ms Hale's Ford Mondeo was also smashed when the mini tornado passed over the town.

Her neighbour Raymond Liddington, 73, who lives just a few doors away, was luckier.

His house escaped with just £100-worth of damage to the roof and smashed Perspex in his conservatory.

He said: "I was sitting watching the rain with my two-year-old nephew because it was so heavy.

"All of a sudden this wind came swirling down. I took my nephew away from the window at that point.

"I've never seen wind like it - and I've experienced tornadoes before, during my service abroad with the navy."

Winds in excess of 100mph damaged the roofs on the Tesco superstore and St Michael's Church.

Tesco manager John Williams told the Argus: "It was amazing no one was hurt."

* Pictured, Joanne Hale and Stuart Jones in the shattered remains of their living room