BBC News viewers in hysterics after reporter says ‘a VOLCANO’ has ripped through town instead of a tornado

BBC News viewers went into hysterics after a reporter claimed a volcano – not a tornado – had ripped through parts of Greater Manchester.

Storm Gerrit left a trail of destruction on Thursday, destroying more than 100 homes in Stalybridge, Tameside, as the supercell swept through the north.

The overnight tornado tore off roofs and toppled trees, while winds of up to 85 mph lashed the community.

After the destruction, the BBC sent its Northern England correspondent, Fiona Trott, to report on the massacre.

But the veteran broadcaster appeared to mix up her words during her report on the disaster, incorrectly saying the area had been ravaged by a volcano, prompting a hilarious reaction from viewers on social media.

About 100 houses were damaged by the extreme weather, with some having their roofs ripped off

BBC Northern England correspondent Fiona Trott sparked hilarity when she incorrectly said the tornado damage was caused by a volcano

The blunder caused an uproar online, with viewers taking to social media to joke about it

In her report, the 26-year broadcasting veteran said: 'What is striking is how sudden this was, but also how random this was – how one roof could be completely ripped off and the other left intact. That was the path of the volcano.”

The blunder caused a wave of funny reactions on social media, with one viewer joking: 'Crying with laughter!! Volcanoes in Manchester. Whatever the next thing is.”

Another user on X, formerly Twitter, added: 'BBC 6pm News tonight. Poor old Manchester – a tornado and a volcano!'

A third said: 'Volcano in Manchester?!!! This fake news is getting out of hand', with a fourth person joking: 'Today I learned that Manchester has a volcano…'

Neither Ms Trott nor the BBC have commented on the blunder.

It is not the first time that the experienced journalist has had bad luck during her live broadcasts.

In 2021, she was harassed by hecklers who tried to hijack her live broadcast about a hospital bombing that killed one person and injured another in an explosion at Liverpool Women's Hospital.

Ms Trott was drowned out by men ranting about migrants and refugees as she tried to give an update on the police investigation.

Some social media reactions from amused BBC News viewers last night

Hecklers could be heard shouting out of shot, with one saying, “Twenty-four thousand people came on boats this year, how many of them do we know?”

“Report the truth, we all know what happened,” shouted another.

After the live feed was interrupted, studio newsreader Joanna Gosling told viewers that police officers had responded nearby to help Ms Trott.

Storm Gerrit raged across the north of England shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

Homeowners were told to go to the town hall for help, and the Met Office revealed there had been a strong rotating updraft and it was 'likely' a tornado had struck.

Local resident Andy Turner told MailOnline today: 'Last night at 11.30pm – all I can describe – a hurricane passed through. It took about 15 seconds. Cars were parked in front of the house. My wife's car has been written off, my car has taken the brunt of the damage. It's just lucky that no one was hurt. It was pure carnage.”

Destruction caused by the tornado after it struck Stalybridge in Greater Manchester earlier this week

This uprooted tree tore up the asphalt and blocked a road in Stalybridge

Another resident, Alison Atkinson, told BBC Radio Manchester it was unprecedented, saying: 'There are trees down everywhere, the roads are closed, if you try to get here you walk further up the road, there is another tree a house has been invaded. There are two men up there who are now trying to cut down all the trees. The roadway is completely closed. The sidewalks are all broken. Never seen anything like it, really.'

Andy Wareham, whose Tesla windscreen was smashed, said he heard 'extremely loud wind noises' and told the Manchester Evening News: 'Things started flying around, roof tiles were falling off. There was chaos for about 30 seconds to a minute and then it calmed down and I immediately thought, 'It must have been a tornado.'

And Richard Harrison, whose car window was smashed by flying debris, told the newspaper: 'It was just lucky no one was killed. You can see the power with that wedged in the back. It was a good thing there was no one walking on the street.'

Matthew Marsland, who lives opposite houses that were badly damaged, added: 'I just heard an extreme noise at my back window. I was standing by the French doors and there was basically this weird clinking noise and then vibrations through the glass.”