RESIDENTS in Farnborough were left counting the cost this week after a tornado blew into town. At around 7.30am on Monday Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) control operators mobilised crews from Rushmoor Fire Station to the Rother Road area of Farnborough following reports of structural damage as a violent, rotating storm passed through the area. HFRS said as many as 30 homes were battered by the tornado and 15 firefighters were deployed to carry out temporary repairs, along with the aerial ladder platform from Basingstoke Fire Station. The tornado, which lasted only a few minutes, was very localised affecting an area of around one mile across and was seen to rip roofs off houses and garages, uproot trees, demolish bus stops and upturn caravans. Station manager Tim Vile said: "There were a number of properties affected by the high winds, where tiles had come off rooftops and we helped householders make temporary repairs. "Trees and fences had been blown down during the storm, while a caravan had also overturned. A number of chimney stacks had been left in precarious positions and our fire crews stayed on the scene to stabilise them and made sure there was no danger to residents." Fortunately there were no reports of any injuries caused by the storm. Tornadoes are measured on the T scale and meteorologists say the one in Farnborough was estimated to be a T2 or T3, which is moderate to strong.