Cops in close encounter with mini tornado

It was Melbourne Cup Day with a twist for police in Mount Magnet, Western Australia, yesterday – when visiting officers from nearby Cue had a close encounter with a will-willy or mini-tornado.

Officers captured footage of the rotating cloud of dust and debris as it moved along a road and then brushed alongside their vehicle.

“We’d pulled over and it came right towards us,” Sergeant Clint Brennan said.

“It shook the car as well. It had quite a lot of power to it.

“It was quite impressive.”

Sgt Brennan and other officers from Cue were in the township to assist local police when they spotted the willy-willy, about 2pm on Richardson Street.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Neil Bennett, the phenomenon - also known as a dancing devil, dust devil or cockeye bob - is a rotating column of air caused by high temperatures.

He said they were a worldwide phenomenon - even off-world, with sightings on Mars.

Mr Bennett said they were particularly common in desert areas.