Locals were terrified after a waterspout formed near their homes in the Philippines.

Village official Rolly Clome said they thought there was a storm when the clouds turned grey outside their office in Gumaca, Quezon Province on September 24.

However, the people were shocked when a massive funnel-shaped cloud appeared in the ocean.

More residents started gathering on the seaside to witness the weather phenomenon while others started to panic.

Rolly said: "It has been three years since I last saw something like that. I was afraid that it would come to the shore."

Another resident, Shane Sora, said she was with her family when the waterspout was seen from the sea.

She said: "I immediately called my children in the house. They were playing outside, it could be dangerous."

The waterspout had dissipated after 15 minutes before there was a heavy downpour in the village.

Waterspouts are intense columns of swirling tornado clouds that form over a body of water.

They are most commonly found in subtropical areas and disappear shortly after they come into contact with land.

Scientists believe they are formed when pockets of warm air near the water surface rise suddenly.

Cooler air is then sucked into the low pressure air, which picks up water and rises towards the clouds in a rotating motion.