THIS dramatic funnel cloud was spotted in Worcestershire today.

Leigh Cooper snapped the rare sight in Alvechurch at 2pm.

He said: "It went black as night and the winds were vicious - I had to hold my camera steady enough.

"The experience was amazing.

"It was unsettling but a blast at the same time."

The Worcestershire sighting came as meteorologist group Estofex issued a level one warning for tornadoes across the UK.

But the swirling cloud seen by Mr Cooper did not reach the ground and therefore is not classed as a tornado.

The Met Office defines a funnel cloud as "a cone-shaped cloud which extends from the base of a cloud towards the ground without reaching the ground".

"They are formed in the same way as a tornado, building around a localised area of intensely low pressure, and are typically associated with the formation of cumulonimbus cloud.

"A funnel cloud however does not reach the earth's surface.

"At the point it reaches land it becomes a tornado or if it reaches a body of water it becomes a waterspout."

The sighting came during a day of adverse weather conditions in Worcestershire including rain showers and strong winds.

Heavy rain is also predicted in Worcester on Monday afternoon and evening.