20 Years on. The Big Storm

[Paul mabbott]

I'm famous for getting up and saying, 'Was it a bit windy last night?' - before having pointed out that the garden fence had gone missing .....

[nightshade]

I watched the cycle sheds at work collapse(about 40'x20' 3 sheds!)
My 2CV got a little light at times on the drive home
I walked to collect my boys from school and held them tight as their feet came off the ground
Fences and bins going by the window horizontally,and a huge length of brick
wall blown over with a roar
The tiles on a neighbours roof rippling in time to the gusts

[paulchandler6]

Originally Posted by lol geoff

That could be mine....Have you still got it?

yes actually still have it minus the lid that dissapeared in another big wind......long way from you though.

Paul

[Surrey Snow]

I was staying in a hotel in Essex (Great Dunmow) as I was working away.

I awoke early and switched on the light, to no avail.

I got up and opened the curtains to find a huge Beech tree firmly "planted" across the cars in the car park.

Something I'll never forget is the tremendous noise, the "howl".

Did anyone see the program on ITV on Tuesday?

SS

[naturelover]

yes i did,horrid brings it all back not that i can forget.

[John]

That was a night not to forget for me. I was a long distance lorry driver and was delivering through the night that night.

I had started mid afternoon at Southampton then Portsmouth before moving onto Chichester and Shoreham. By the time I had left Shoreham things were getting scary. My next drop was at Ashford in Kent, which was a fair drive. I'm still not sure where I was when I came to an area that really scared me. I was in the middle of a wooded area and trees were rocking everywhere. Branches were being ripped off and were flung across me. How I didn't crash I don't know but one thing was certain I had to get out of there quick.

I hadn't gone far before the force of the wind was pushing me across the road and I was fighting for control of the wagon. Up ahead of me was a bridge and I decided to stop under it. Good decision as within minutes the noise from the increasing wind was horrendous and I sat there watching trees being ripped up by the roots and flung to the floor.

That bridge, as far as I am concerned, possibly saved my life as by the time the winds had abated the destruction before me was complete. Hardly a tree was standing upright and the road was virtually impassable in places.

Thankfully there was enough room to get me a few miles along the road until I reached an area where a clearing operation was under way. I was soon joined by a few cars and a couple of lorries as well.

The clearing crew told us to park up whilst they went about the job of clearing the trees from the road and whilst doing it they came over with tea and sandwiches. It was a real Dunkirk spirit and after a few hours we were on our way.

It took me two more days to get back to Birmingham and on the way I saw scenes that were pitiful with areas reduced to nothing more than splinters or rubble.

A night that I hope will never be repeated on in the UK ever again.

John

[Garden Carpet]

I dont remember the night in particualar. I was staying with my sister in Melkshom Wilts and was going back to Guernsey the following day.. we were driving along for some time before we realised we were seeing more than our fair share of fallen trees. It was amazingly calm the next day. Both of us were suprised to hear there had been such a high wind in the night.

That year in France the devastation in the Normandy and Brittany forests was terrible to see. I am sure the older locals thought that tanks had been through their forests again.

Jaki