This may look like something mysterious and alien – but don’t worry, we know what it is, writes Tom Johanssen.

Readers could be forgiven for thinking our picture shows something more sinister like the aftermath of an airstrike but it is just a smoke vortex pictured during one of the spectacular pyrotechnic demonstrations at Cosford air show earlier this month.

The vortex was created by smoke from an explosive charge used during a mock attack by a Tornado fighter jet.

Crowds were wowed by the display of fighter jets taking part in a staged rescue mission designed to lift the lid on day-to-day operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the staged scenario a Royal Air Force squadron was seen acting out a typical rescue after “enemy forces” captured a team of British personnel.

The snap was taken by eagle-eyed Shropshire Star reader Al Ussher, who captured the rarely seen whirling vortex on his camera.

It was after one of the explosive charges, designed to represent the impact of a bombing raid, detonated that the puff of smoke turned into a vortex because of air flows.

Mr Ussher said: “I wonder if anyone else photographed it? Perhaps someone can explain why it happened?”

The RAF Cosford Air Show was enjoyed by about 50,000 visitors this year, organisers said after the event.

Crowds were treated to demonstrations including a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, RAF Parachute Display Team, Red Arrows, Eurofighter Typhoon and even a glimpse of an Apache attack helicopter.