Deadly tornado strikes Texas town of Granbury

A tornado has ripped through a town in the US state of Texas, resulting in six deaths, officials say.

Homes were destroyed when the tornado hit Granbury, 70 miles (110km) west of Dallas, late on Wednesday, leaving "extensive" damage in its wake.

Hood County spokesman Tye Bell said seven people were missing, about 45 people were in hospital, and 250 had been evacuated from the affected area.

The tornado was one of three to hit northern Texas on Wednesday night.

"I saw the top of a house pulled off, with lots of debris all over the place," eyewitness Jeff Mangum told the BBC. "The whole sky was spinning in a thousand directions."

The hardest hit neighbourhoods were Rancho Brazos Estates and DeCordova Ranch, in the southern part of Granbury.

The same storm spawned another tornado that tore through part of the town of Cleburne, about 25 miles (40km) south-east of Granbury, the National Weather Service said.

There have been no reports of fatalities in Cleburne so far.

However, dozens of homes have been destroyed or badly damaged, according to officials and residents.

A third tornado in neighbouring Parker County has also caused damage to buildings, particularly in the town of Millsap, officials say.