Rare phenomenon known as a waterspout is spotted off the north Kent coast

Waterspout spotted off the Kent coast Credit: Mike Dobriskey

A waterspout - a rare natural phenomena - has been seen moving around the Kent coast.

The spinning vortex -made up of air and water - was seen near the Herne Bay shoreline this week where a number of wind turbines stand in the Thames Estuary.

The rotating column is similar to a tornado but it touches water rather than land. It remains airborn and is also known as a funnel cloud.

The rare phenomena is similar to a tornedo Credit: Mike Dobriskey

If they touch the ground they then become a tornado.

Water spouts are a rarity off the Kent coastline and more typical in the US and tropical countries.

However funnel clouds seem to be appearing more frequently. One was spotted over Westgate-on-Sea - along the coast from Herne Bay - during several days of stormy weather.

Watch the waterspout as it spins around off the Herne Bay coastline.

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