The Stalybridge areas of Millbrook and Carrbrook were the most affected by the incident – however, it was luckily confirmed from the police’s initial enquiries, as well as from the updates provided by partnering emergency services at the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) and Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) who also attended, that there have thankfully been no injuries reported.
#UPDATE | At around 11.45pm yesterday evening (Wednesday 27 December 2023), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to numerous reports of significant damage to various properties across Stalybridge in Tameside.
— Tameside North and East Police (GMP) (@GMPTamesideN) December 28, 2023
Temporary shelter and support services are currently being provided for the displaced and affected residents by Tameside Council.
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GMP is advising that anyone affected should keep a close eye on and monitor Tameside Council’s social media for advice and guidance, or call 0161 342 2222 where Council representatives will be on hand to offer support.
While this damaging weather event was initially described as being a “localised tornado”, Met Office meteorologists have referred to it as a ‘supercell thunderstorm’ at this point, and say they know from their Dopplar radar that it had a strong rotating updraft.
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Experts are still waiting for surface data to confirm, but have admitted that the presence of these features “suggests a tornado at the surface was likely”.
Last night a supercell thunderstorm crossed Greater Manchester causing damage. We know from our Dopplar radar that it had a strong rotating updraft. Whilst we don't yet have surface data to confirm, the presence of these features suggests a tornado at the surface was likely 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/XEG1TkKbjN
But what exactly is a ‘supercell thunderstorm’ then? Why does it occur? And how does it differ from the regular thunderstorm we’re all used to?
Well, the answer is all in the tornado.
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What is a tornado?
The Met Office defines a tornado as a “swirling column of air” that spins rapidly with winds of over 40mph or 60kph.
Described by weather experts as being one of the most violent and dramatic weather types on the planet, which serve as a demonstration of the “destructive power of our turbulent atmosphere”, there are several different types of tornado – with the fastest wind speeds ever recorded for a tornado being over 300mph or 480kph.
Not only are they the fastest wind speeds ever recorded for a tornado, they are actually the fastest winds ever recorded on Earth, according to the Met Office.
How is a tornado formed?
Tornadoes form in “very unsettled weather conditions” as part of severe thunderstorms, according to experts at the Met Office.
A tornado typically has the form of a twisting funnel-shaped cloud between the cloud base and the ground. Sometimes the vortex can appear as a slender rope-like form, particularly when the tornado is weakening, although sometimes a tornado can be almost invisible, and is only observable by the debris thrown up from the surface.
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Tornadoes usually form from big thunderstorms called ‘supercells’ – which was the case for the incident last night in Stalybridge – but can form from other types of storms too, with tropical cyclones being one of the most common.
Tornadoes form in “very unsettled weather conditions” as part of severe thunderstorms / Credit: Met Office
How is a ‘supercell thunderstorm’ different to a regular thunderstorm?
A thunderstorm is defined by the Met Office as a series of sudden electrical discharges that result from atmospheric conditions.
Most thunderstorms are associated with towering clouds known as cumulonimbus, and the right conditions for the formation of a thunderstorm are unstable air and a mechanism for causing air to rise – which is usually hot and humid air, with lots of energy.
When a thunderstorm is being fed lots of warm and moist air, it continues to grow and can begin to rotate, and then, if this rotation begins to lower from the cloud, a tornado begins to form – however, at this stage, it’s just called a ‘funnel cloud’.
It’s only when the funnel reaches the ground that becomes a tornado.
Featured Image – Tameside Council
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Chester Zoo named one of England’s most popular tourist attractions with 1.9m visitors
Emily Sergeant
Congratulations are in order, yet again, for Chester Zoo… as this time its been one of England’s most popular attractions.
Merely months after being named the UK’s best zoo for the second year running, thanks to receiving more than 11,000 ‘excellent’ reviews from TripAdvisor, Chester Zoo has now got itself another prestigious title, as a major VisitEngland (VE) report has ranked it the third most-visited ‘paid for’ attraction in England – and the most visited outside of London.
The national tourist board for England gathered information from a total of 1,373 attractions across the country, and ranked the UK’s biggest charity zoo as the third overall in terms of popularity, with a whopping 1.9 million visitors in 2024 alone.
The Tower of London took top spot with 2.9 million visitors, while the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew was second place with 2.3 million visitors.
When it comes to free attractions, on the other hand, it wad the British Museum that claimed the top spot with 6.5 million visitors, while the Natural History Museum (5.9 million visitors) took second place, and the Tate Modern (4.6 million visitors) got third.
So as you can see, the south and London in particular is a pretty dominating force in England’s tourism industry – which is why it’s even more impressive to see Chester Zoo ranked so highly.
The new VE title also comes after the zoo was recently given £4 million of lottery funding to help ‘transform’ the local environment and restore wildlife habitats across the Cheshire and wider North West region.
Not only that, but if course follows Chester Zoo’s unveiling of its new immersive experience named Heart of Africa, which is the the largest zoo habitat ever created in the UK and is home to 57 iconic African species.
Chester Zoo has been named one of England’s most popular tourist attractions with 1.9m visitors / Credit: Chester Zoo
“As a major international wildlife charity, everything we do is focused on supporting global conservation,” commented Chester Zoo’s Commercial Director, Dom Strange.
“Whether it’s caring for highly-threatened animals and plants, making scientific discoveries, influencing Government environmental policies, impacting the National Curriculum to better connect young people with nature, or our conservation efforts in around 20 countries, we’re fully committed to protecting endangered species for the future.
“But none of this would be possible without our visitors.
“Every person who comes to the zoo for a fun and inspiring day out is helping to fund our vital work, so we want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported us and helped us to rank so highly in VisitEngland’s latest report.”
Featured Image –
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Manchester Museum saves a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has made a stunning new addition to its natural history collections, and in the process has ensured a ‘national treasure’ stays in the UK.
Not long after claiming the coveted title of European Museum of the Year for 2025, Manchester Museum has done it again – this time working together with John Rylands Library to acquire Henry Dresser’s unique personal copy of his anthology A History of the Birds of Europe so that this ‘invaluable resource’ can remain in the UK for future generations.
The beautifully-illustrated collection of books provide an important historical record to help understand how and why bird populations have changed over time.
Dresser’s personal copy is heavily-annotated with personal notes and observations.
These books are deemed to be of ‘outstanding significance’, not only for scientific purposes but also for their aesthetic value, as they have also been illustrated by some of the leading wildlife artists of the day.
The volumes were recognised as a national treasure by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which is supported by the Arts Council, and this meant that the Government placed a temporary export deferral on them to allow time for UK buyers to raise the funds to keep them in the country.
Brilliantly, the acquisition of these books reunites them with Dresser’s own bird specimens that are already cared for by Manchester Museum, including species such as the Slender-billed curlew, which is now believed to be extinct.
The now-extinct species’ presence in both Dresser’s beautifully-annotated volumes and the ornithological collections at Manchester Museum highlights the vital role that historical records play in tracking biodiversity loss over time to uncover the long-term impact of environmental change.
Manchester Museum has saved a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK / Credit: Manchester Museum
“Threats to the natural world and biodiversity have never been greater and while this anthology has historical value, it also speaks to the urgent issues of the present,” commented Esme Ward, who is the Director of Manchester Museum.
“These books are breathtakingly beautiful, and by bringing them together with natural history collections, we believe they will not only provide scientific benefit, but also capture the hearts of future ornithologists and conservationists.”
A History of the Birds of Europe will be officially unveiled at a private view on Friday 27 June, before being displayed to the public for the first time in Manchester Museum’s ‘Living Worlds’ gallery from Saturday 28 June 2025 right through until Sunday 25 January 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
28th December 2023 
