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A large, red, and suggestively-shaped cloud of smoke got locals giggling.

People living in Welsh town Port Talbot were left chuckling after the enormous column drifted over their homes.

Neighbours posted pictures on a local Facebook community page following the discharge from local steelworks company Tata Steel earlier that day.

(Image: Victoria Williams/Porthcawlfirst)

The otherwise clear blue sky was quite a sight for locals, with the company explaining that the discharge came after a rapid cooling of iron.

“A process took place on Saturday morning.

"It was managed, according to operational procedures, safely within the works,” a Tata Steel spokesman told Wales Online.

(Image: Jon Reynolds/Porthcawlfirst)

He explained that an iron from a blast furnace had been put aside for plating.

The works being carried out in Port Talbot is part of Tata Steel’s Strip Products UK business, producing hot-rolled, cold-rolled and hot-dip coated steel.