A massive gust caused a marquee, set up at the music stage, to become airborne, flying high into the air and on top of the iconic lamb statue. 

Some residents say it was like a “tornado” ripping through town.

Winds were so strong that resident Hayley Eddy watched two children cling to a fence while a bike blew across the middle of the road.

“We had two kids pinned up against the fence and they couldn’t move,” she said.

Festival volunteer Jeff Reeves was preparing food in the gazebo when the storm began to escalate. 

“I was standing in the gazebo looking out,” Mr Reeves said.

“I could see the rain swirling around and you couldn’t see through it.

“There was a gust of wind and it just lifted the whole lot and put it straight up the top of the tree.

“Some people got hit in the head.”

Orthodics stall holder Denise Lowth saw history repeat itself after losing everything in a similar storm three years ago.

“Three years ago my gazebo flew away and I lost everything,” she said.

“Today was worse than that year … there were three of us … three women hanging onto our gazebo.

“It was absolutely blowing.”

Bertha Reeves also watched as the storm turn the 31st festival into a disaster zone.

But luckily has plenty of hot food to keep volunteers warm and well-fed as the clean up begins.

“There’s three potato bakes there ready,” Ms Reeves said.

Across town, trees are down including a large pine on the corner of Ollera Street and the New England Highway.

Traffic is being diverted away from the New England Highway and onto Bradley Street.

So far no serious injuries have been reported.