Strong winds swept through the town, damaging property

The town of Buncrana was struck by strong winds early on Tuesday evening. Local woman Rachel Hegarty said it had been a terrifying experience.

"I had to lie down on the floor because there was a plank of wood heading for the window," she said.

"It only lasted a minute or two, if even that.

"The trees were bent right down. I looked outside and saw a van, and a sheet of wood had smashed right into a window."

Last year, a tornado struck the County Antrim villages of Aghalee and Rasharkin.

A tornado expert said at the time that as many as five such incidents would hit Northern Ireland each year.