Mount Maunganui residents Dani Morales and her partner Mark Laurences' plans for breakfast ended with a twist after a 'twister' made its way across Pilot Bay this morning.

A twister was seen making its way across Pilot Bay this morning.

Mark and Dani were on their way to breakfast around 10.30am when they saw what they described as a twister making its way towards Mauao.

'When we were driving down Maunganui road we commented on how windy it was.

'All of a sudden I heard this amazingly intense engine sound. It just sounded like a jet engine.”

'What I was hearing and what I was seeing were completely different things.”

The twister made its way from behind a tree before heading towards the car park where Dani and Mark were parked.

'At one point a branch flew in to the water. Then for about five minutes it was just cruising around Pilot Bay. I didn't see where it went after that.”

Mark says there were about 10 people swimming in the harbour when the tornado travelled past – although he says no one was scared.

'No one was really scared. But I was just scared my car was going to get something thrown on it.”

Did you see the 'twister?' Send your photographs and comments to newsroom@thesun.co.nz