Felpham schoolgirl (7) hurt in freak mini-tornado

Chloe Loveday suffered a badly-bruised face around her right eye and a cut right knee in the freakishly-strong gust of wind.

She was pushed to the promenade by the force of the air and ended up looking as if she had been punched.

Her great-nan, Joyce Thompson, fell on top of her. She was left with a black and swollen right hand. Her right knee was cut.

Chloe was taken to the A&E department at St Richard's Hospital for a check-up.

She was examined by a nurse before a doctor ruled out a scan because of her age.

However, before she was discharged, he advised her mother, Kelly Thompson, to take her back next week to ensure she was recovering from her injuries.

Kelly also took her to her GP as a precaution. Joyce (77), of Stanley Court in Middleton, went her to doctor as well.

Kelly (35) said: "The way Chloe describes it was that it was like being a mini-tornado. It was really scary. It happened so quickly.

"The wind pushed us off our feet. It felt like we were going to be swept up but we were pushed over instead."

The drama occurred around 1.30pm on Monday, April 14. Chloe, Kelly and Joyce were in a six-strong family group whose stroll along the seafront towards Felpham in the sunny spring weather turned to terror in an instant.

They had just passed Butlins, close to Longbrook park, when the strong gust bowled them over.

"It just seemed like it was a bit windy," explained Kelly, of Nyetimber Lane, Rose Green.

"But then it became so strong we started running. I tried to grab Chloe.

"Her great-nan, though, came from behind her where she was running along because the wind was so powerful.

"Chloe fell over and her great-nan fell on top of her. It was absolutely awful and I couldn't believe what had happened."

Kelly was also toppled by the force of nature but escaped injury.

Once the wind had subsided, Joyce was able to get off Chloe but couldn't get up.

Chloe's face, meanwhile, began to swell straight away around her nose. Kelly feared her daughter might have broken an arm in the melee.

Paramedics were soon on the scene to reassure her.

Kelly's mother, Denise Thompson (55), of Frank Allen Mews, Bognor, managed to stay on her feet.

The others in the family outing, Kelly's younger brother, Ryan Thompson (eight), and Chloe's friend, Jessie Winter (five), also escaped without any effect. Jessie's small suitcase was blown to the other side of the beach.

Kelly added: "The strange thing was the people in front of us and behind us weren't affected."

Bognor weather man Todd Sweeney measured the wind at 9am on Monday as a force four, between 12-18mph.

But he said stronger gusts occurred during the day.