A bizarre cloud formation resembling a twister appeared over Southend this morning.

Vikki Dark spotted the phenomenon while taking her son to school in Westcliff and took a photo.

She said: "This morning - as I drove my son to school - I was faced with a bizarre sight looming in the distance from Westcliff. Across the perimeter of the sea, a huge twister seemed to have culminated. Although it remained still - so I put it down to a unique effect from the clouds."

It was suggested the strange cloud formations were actually coming from steam stacks in Sheerness, with unusual weather conditions meaning the gas did not dissipate, which appeared to be confirmed by meteorologists.

Emma Sharples from the Met Office said: "There were showers in the area today in an unstable airmass, so hot air would have been able to rise unimpeded.

"That and the fact that winds were light would have allowed the plumes of smoke to remain defined."