WRENTHAM -- The weak tornado that hit town over the weekend is something that usually occurs in the Midwest, but it brought out the best in New Englanders with neighbors helping neighbors clean up from the damage.

`` It's what New Englanders do,'' said Richard Dion, a local selectman who was one of several who picked up chainsaws Saturday and cut up fallen trees in neighbors' yards or blocking streets.

`` You get out there and help your neighbor and then you clean up,'' said Dion, who lives in Hayden Woods.

Dion and neighbors Dave Teixeira, Jim Kearney and John Keane helped cut up trees that fell in Steve and Ginny Orzell's yard at 45 Hayden Woods.

An estimated 20 to 30 homes were damaged in Saturday's tornado that cut a swath from Jenk's Road in West Wrentham to Phillips Street near the state school, according to Fire Chief Robert Morrill. The National Weather Service declared Sunday that the previous day's storm was a weak tornado that traveled on the ground for about six miles, starting in West Wrentham and slicing through the southeast section Franklin. The tornado's path was described by the Weather Service as `` long and narrow but very discrete'' ranging from 40 feet to 40 yards and traveling about 45 miles an hour with winds.

It was the second recorded tornado in town in 51 years, as twisters in 1953 did extensive damage across the region.

For completete story, see today's Sun Chronicle.