ITN News at 10, Great Storm of 1987

[@davidallen7977]

I woke up after a night on the lash. I remember it well. I was 21yrs old. I looked out of the window and thought I was tripping or something. For about an hour I could not believe what had happend. By the afternoon I had started a bussiness fitting/repairing tv aerial and I ended up working 12hrs a day 7 days a week. I ended up with more money then I knew what to handle. My best mate who was still at school used to bunk off to help me as I had so much work I could not keep up, and he ended up the richest kid at his school. Madness but true.

[@danbh84]

lol

[@Scampi95]

What an incredible story!

[@ourliam4482]

Good memories them mate. And a proper 80s soundtrack playing in the background no doubt 😀

[@ryanpollard8057]

Mad

[@tekpic04]

Bless Michael Fish soul for being a weather gentleman. I was sixteen back then. Your story was fantastic to read.

[@ianmcclavin]

I remember that night. I heard the howling wind, but had no idea of the extent of the damage until I ventured out in an attempt to get into work the following morning. My attempt was successful (although I had to divert a couple of times due to fallen trees). Many colleagues were not so "fortunate!" Several cherry tress in my road were lost and one main road in the area stayed closed for several weeks.

[@jtpinnyc]

2:21 Mr Bean makes his entrance

[@hellooohowareudoing]

lol

[@memoir4you]

Can't beat this Intro -booming music and great visuals, they don't do it like this anymore

[@only1brum]

😂

[@KarmasAbutch]

I remember it made me feel like we lived in a VERY IMPORTANT country…. Not that I’d ever left the UK to visit any other countries in 1987 😂 … like they wouldn’t feel the same way about theirs … because their news theme wasn’t as good 🎉

[@brianlaywood747]

Brian Laywood Have just come across this, at the time I was driving a Nat Express coach down the M1 to Victoria, and the terrific wind brought my speed down from 70mph to virtually a standstill. Eventually got to Victoria about 5oclock am having driven through a totally blacked out London, the Inspectors were guiding us in with torches. An incredible night,never seen anything like it in 38 years service!!

[@KnightZ1987]

Poor guy at 8:14 unintentionally dropping the C bomb! I was only 3 months old so I can't say I remember anything at all but I've heard lots of stories!

[@garrysimpson1395]

First time I"ve seen this. Here in the New Forest,we were without power for 18 days. But thank god,we survived! The late Sir Alistair Burnett and the late Carol Barnes. A former 51 year old disabled carer. From the New Forest GOD BLESS!

[@markhernandez8361]

Do you record, that this may have been perhaps a tornado, not a gale windstorm?

[@garrysimpson1395]

@@markhernandez8361 No. As I typed at the time we were without power [Here in The New Forest] for 18 ndays. Yes. I think this Gale Windstorm wad reported at the time.

[@lindathomas5500]

This was the storm that destroyed the famous seven oaks, I was in London at the time and if memory serves me just one was left standing. It was a brutal night!

[@LEXINGTONSMYTHE]

I was 12 years old and was woken by the sound of slates sliding off the roof and smashing onto the driveway down below. My dad was at work that night and if he hadn’t been his car would have been smashed to pieces. I remember getting out of bed and looking out the window and seeing a lamp post on the opposite side of the road at this crazy angle and thought that doesn’t look right. We slept the rest of the night downstairs and the next day went for a walk around the local area. All those lovely trees uprooted was awful to see. A crazy old night and one I won’t ever forget.

[@MrOrcshaman]

my parents been living in the same house since the 1970s here, mum remembered the storm, the road down from where they lived, all the trees were blown down. but no damage to her and dads house. She's still living there today.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

We had our windows covered in mud and shale - thankfully none of them (single pane) shattered. A tree in my great uncle's front garden toppled over, but the house was also undamaged. No chance of getting anywhere the following morning though!

[@West.Ham1964]

How the bloody hell did he not see a tree trunk lying right across the road on 2:20 even if it was dark with no lighting, what a wally.

[@sanchoodell6789]

I laughed my fucking bollocks off when I saw that bit (Bet the camera crew had a right ol' laugh when they compiled that footage for the broadcast!)

[@Rich6Brew]

The driver was a wine waiter at the Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth.

[@JBurg_07]

@@Sgt_Bill_T_Co thats not nice

[@adamlea6339]

Failure to anticipate after severe gales, there might be trees and debris on the roads, so might be a good idea to drive more slowly and carefully.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@Tony Ross Well, you sort of answered your own question there I think... The tree was at a very awkward height - suspended about three foot off the road, just out of reach of the headlamp beam, and I imagine the "dipped" headlamp beam was just that - dipping. "Lifted" headlamps don't tend to be used from my experience, so you can't really expect to automatically spot everything not illuminated by them. If you were driving on a country road at night, it would be completely understandable, why that could happen.

[@topbanana8438]

I was 17 in east London Stepney I remember it been late the noise was like the world was going to end was looking out my window and opposite was old Victorian parks with massive trees I watch them blow over against the buildings It was crazy and amazing the winds traveling between the high rise and maisonettes I say was 200mph the noise never forget it.

[@Matt-rq3bu]

Sounds crazy.

[@grahammatthews4840]

I remember it like yesterday, I was 10 years old, the power lines banged together and lit up the sky like it was daylight!!! Absolutely petrified!

[@tonyhancock3912]

With the greatest of respect to the driver at 2:20 but how the hell did he not see that enormous tree trunk blocking blocking the road!!!?

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

No street lighting to illuminate either the tree, or the silhouette of the tree against the background I would imagine.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@Bruce Wayne Main beam headlights only help when a hazard is at a particular height (ie closer to the road surface). Because the tree was suspended a couple of feet off of the road surface itself, the beam of the headlight couldn't focus itself at the important area until the illuminated angle of the beam intersected with the BOTTOM part of the tree (the part of the tree closest to the road). That could very well account as to why the car broke as late as it did - the headlights couldn't "scan" up and down - they were fixed pointing *specifically* at the tarmac, not the 2 feet of space ABOVE the tarmac.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@Bruce Wayne well I'm an advanced motorist with a perfect driving record, and I can ASSURE you, it's written nowhere in the syllabus that you should consider this peculiar type of scenario. Accidents (or "acts of GOD") DO happen in life, and there's only so much that can be reasonably accounted for by any module in any textbook - even Roadcraft and Incident Response blue light training. As for _necessity_ of travelling in such conditions - well, I can't account for that motorist's decision making (wasn't me, I promise!).

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

True, true.

[@justbreakingballs]

On his phone I bet

[@mrkipling2201]

Remember this well because my school was shut the next day!!

[@danw1374]

Our sports hall roof was torn off by the wind. I was about 14 at the time.

[@TimeBunny]

Same, a tree got dropped on part of the building so no school for me that day 😅

[@Yamislittleangel55]

2:45 My mother was one of the people to come over and help those people in that area. I was hoping to see her in this clip. She was wearing a green coat, but I couldn't see her...She sadly passed away 5 months ago.

[@jamesmason2976]

i completely slept all the way through this storm.....

[@demonx6410]

Lol

[@rachelcaullay172]

I did too Lol.

[@AJM01]

Oh my god hearing that news intro! That has got to be the first time I have heard it since the 80s. I remember cycling to school that morning in the wind and rain!

[@garyhale7149]

It's sad that both Alistair and Carol are no longer with us.

[@sofial5041]

who else is just seeing this now and had no idea that the happened.

[@TheAdrianpritcha72]

I managed to sleep through this when it hit North London! I was only 4 but still..

[@97channel]

The Queen was so deeply distressed that she actually opened up one of her many spare rooms to those made homeless by the event. Oh no, wait, she didn't.

[@howardatkinson8958]

Did you?

[@97channel]

I was 7 years old. I didn't have property at the time, so no. No, I didn't.

[@Bubble170]

97channel did your parents?

[@mohammedchoudery1112]

No of course they didn't, the lefties can bleat on but at the end of the day not many would.

[@97channel]

Emdontplayguitar - No, they didn't have a spare room. Nor did they claim to be greatly distressed. Nor were either of them a vastly privileged reigning monarch with a duty to their people. So no. No, they didn't.

[@Badgerman5]

Watching this in prep for Eunice

[@malikasalem4555]

How serious do those news dongs sound lol I remember that storm well I was 7 and can remember going out into the garden where my older brother was and the wind was so strong that I couldn't hear him shouting at me to get back in the house

[@tomsmith9208]

I was 7 in SE6 and remember it well, Dad took us out in the transit the next day for a look around, I collected a bag of conkers and acorns and still have them in 2016 ! They are turning to dust now though, remember being fascinated that trees had crushed cars and houses, the ITN news though...bong... Bong... Bong "come on Tommy... school in the morning" loved the 80s... Accept school !

[@siege-79]

Haha i was 7 living in Greenwich se3 when it happened.. Totally miss the 80s

[@loannaxxx8845]

I slept through it woke up the trees was blowing like crazy but I did wake up just at the end of it, living in Thetford at the time found it cool

[@angrywalrus6523]

I was only a month old when this hit. Slept right through it

[@ginajones1003]

My boyfriend and I were due to go on a weekend away to Kent but the bed and breakfast’s roof was torn off. The owner never did phone us back to say that the roof had been replaced and so we never went. I slept through the storm despite living next to a wood in Herts!

[@annoyingbstard9407]

I remember it clearly. It was a bit windy and I recall thinking one day someone will invent KZbin and post a video about this.

[@osamaalmulki6349]

as far as I remember, there was a similar storm in 1990 winter/Jan &Feb/, coz I was there ,

[@stickytapenrust6869]

That would have been the Burns Day storm.

[@danw1374]

There was one in January 1976 as well, almost as severe as 1987.

[@floppybollox3]

I was at Uni living in Brighton and slept right through it!

[@missdoglover1644]

I was 8 and slept through the whole thing. I was delighted to find out in the morning that school was closed.

[@brooke1639]

@ 2:21 why didn't they warn that poor driver ffs, there was a camera right on them! This was literally a scene from the movie 'night crawler'

[@KnittyKnottyGames]

Is Jessica alright down that well? 🤣

[@michaelcampin1464]

Slept straight through it. It was my wife's scan for our first child that morning then I went to work by underground without any problem. The trains were empty

[@McPrfctday]

"and they've got 'Jessica down the well'... and she's alright" no false drama or pulling at heartstrings. More honest times on tv just that short time ago. I head the words "tramp", "city gent" and "money men" :D Those would be on a Mitchell and Webb news spoof nowadays.

[@davidjatt3251]

did this comment ever actually end?

[@bzrthree6250]

So the bells weren't unnecessarily dramatic?😄

[@Calfaeairdrie]

RIP Carol you are sorely missed.

[@jasonfernee2401]

After fearing the worst having been warned about Storm Eunice, after the event, it pales into significance when compared to the Great Storm of 1987, no railways for weeks, no electricity no phones and we only had 4 TV channels then and two of them were out of action for a while. The worst storm in 300 years. It cost £2 Billion pounds at 1987 prices. And to think we weren't even warned about it by Michael Fish at the BBC despite being asked if a hurricane was on the way haha.

[@davidlondon2810]

The French met office also failed to predict it properly. It was unprecedented and the technology for quick and accurate forecasts that we now have didn't exist. It was also later discovered to have been a "sting-jet" storm: one which developed very quickly and violently at the last minute partly due to the strength of the jet stream which was extremely active.

[@kaysmith8992]

I thought they predicted it very well, from what I read?

[@JackSparrow-ww6rd]

​@@kaysmith8992it's infamous for not being predicted. SOME forecasters did predict it but the mainstream ones didn't.

[@liberalmind8680]

The wind was really strong that night

[@aerosolize6685]

Hurricane Lorenzo could be the next one that actually hits the UK ever since 1987, its current track is Ireland and it arrives at the start of October. Hopefully it doesn’t repeat this...

[@mattwiper]

Who's here to compare after storm eunice

[@bazd7415]

I was 13 Living in worthing and remember it like yesterday. I was sleeping in a caravan! Lots of destruction on the south coast.

[@robtalbot8060]

I remember walking to school near Watford, zig-zagging around fallen trees and then getting to school only to realise most people weren’t as stupid as me and had stayed at home

[@nobloreal]

My grandma and grandpas house roof blew off on that day

[@AlbinoTheHedgehog]

I remember that London was extremely windy and my mom could not go to work

[@stephensnell1379]

Error in the video-THE STORM WAS NOT A HURRICANE AS IT FORMED IN THE BAY OF BISCAY NOT THE TROPICS

[@siege-79]

I remember it well.. i was 7 years old.

[@MM0SDK]

2 names i remember clearly from this time that was always on the news - Sue Lawley and Nicolas Witchell.

[@williamwilbur]

Thanks very much for the video! I found it very interesting! :D

[@stephensnell1379]

Big storms like the one of 1987 will become stronger and more frequent as the climate warms more and more.

[@gary3561]

Blimey 30years ago i was 7. I remember being awoken just after 2 by the storm. 8am the next day the tree outside our flats was on the floor n branches etc were pressed against my bedroom window. I lived in catford SE London

[@siege-79]

I was the same age as you when it happened. I lived in greenwich.. Greenwich park was totally trashed

[@gary3561]

@@siege-79 good morning. I remember my aunt saying sevenoaks is now 5 oaks lol.

[@scissora6963]

I was born 4 days later

[@TrancetasticWilza]

The driver ar 2:23 clearly couldn't see the wood for the trees.

[@tenxs75]

I was in Sussex and remember it well. Michael Fish dropped the ball big time ;)

[@benconway9010]

Wasn't jusy Michael fish mate it was all weather forecasters none of them got it right so cant just blame fish

[@Westerdd]

love that observation!

[@endrightwinglunacy]

"Don't worry, she's wrong. There's no hurricane on the way."

[@wesleycracknell1623]

r.i.p both presenters

[@susanellis7780]

I remember Michael Fish giving that prediction 👍

[@TS50ER]

I remember me and couple of dudes taking our boards out in Lee -On-The- Solent and surfing the best swells of last century. Only casualty I can remember was Goofy-Foot Dave was blown clean out of the water and onto the roof of the Solent Sailing Club.

[@Msrosy145]

I was working night that night in Royal south Hants DOP hospital took me 2 hours to get home in the morning usually took me 20 mins. It was an awful night. Scary.

[@jakubwidlarz]

Did the NFL make a copyright claim against the Bowls organizers for using their term in the frame at the start?

[@Jellyf0x]

"A tramp was killed when a wall fell on him"👀

[@Megalocade]

I remember this i was 14 and the roof completely ripped off our school hall and landed straight in the carpark on all the teachers cars never seen si much destruction.

[@13strange67]

Horrible year that was to end the 80s ! (Kings Cross Fire too)

[@lawzgreen]

Here Here! Couldn't agree more!

[@jayjay4spurs]

3 years before i was born. I guess my mum was lucky to escape lol

[@gbinfni_0]

I wasn't alive when this happened but my mom tells me about it she said they're where a few tiles of her roof and a massive tree in front of her door

[@MM0SDK]

"and they've got 'Jessica down the well'... and she's alright" 2nd that mate. This iwasn't that long ago but it looks so dated. I was in Hastings when this happened. Our summerhouse in next door neighbours garden in the morning. No school though so that was good.

[@arrblue94]

lol

[@ScrewInTheTuna_]

I was born on this day and my mother says that my dad was going on about a hurricane and it’s why he was so late to the hospital, she didn’t believe him

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

Your name isn't Gail (gale - get it?) by any chance, is it?? Or if you're a male, perhaps your name is Gus (as in, Gust)??

[@ahassen1236]

Once in 200 year event apparently, thank God. I can't remember this at all as Manchester missed the centre of this. But I do remember Michael Fish getting criticised and jokes abound.

[@lydialuckyhd9830]

This was a day before my birthday. (I wasn’t born then but if I was I would be 5 years younger than my mom) XD

[@bromley999]

brilliant. check out 2:30 where the renault 9 smashes into the tree! is this the day today?

[@GR33N5527]

It just missed my mum in the west mids. Only around 80 mph in the mids

[@stephensnell1379]

GR33N5527 80mph WINDS are still strong enough to bring trees down and destroy roofs and maybe windows

[@SouthSide1312.]

its coming again..God bless us!

[@rdr_sheppy]

Jst storm circa was just came by knocking over trees and destroying my playground at my school 😂

[@sanchoodell6789]

2:20 despite this dopey git not paying enough attention before crashing into a fucking tree in the middle of the road! 2:28 the biggest shocker was looking at that Fire Engine, Even in 1987 the design of it (and Ambulances from this time) looked rather quaint and old fashioned.Particularly when you looked to continental Europe or the USA They looked like they were designed in the 1960s with their curvaceous lines and round headlights a rather than more angular design which was the fashion in car design up to this time.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

Do you honestly believe that Roadcraft or Incident Response blue light training would've been able to account for that accident?? Put yourself in that same scenario, and you'll quickly discover why that collision happened.

[@sanchoodell6789]

@@letsdiscussitoversometea8479 I was just refering to the first collision of the private car! Not the tragic one involving the fire appliance which claimed the life of a fire fighter. (They deserve more respect because their jobs involve saving lives and they put a lot of risk on their own lives)

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

@@sanchoodell6789 so was I! Though to be fair, I did suspect that my comment may have been misconstrued.

[@richhall4939]

I was only 10 months old

[@kebraarr]

this was when my mum was 7 😅

[@SamaraBroere]

my mum says she was a teenager when this happened.

[@letsdiscussitoversometea8479]

Are you sceptical of your mother's age?? 😅

[@Mbappe134]

Guess what the worst storm since this is tpday

[@Mbappe134]

Today

[@TheMessiah79]

She's up there reading the news

[@parvesh.5_357]

This vs Storm Eunice

[@richardmulcahy9919]

RIP Alistair Burnett and Carol Barnes

[@lynnewilkinson9408]

I wish I could have seen this

[@neilbillybob3065]

WHEN BRITAIN WAS STILL A BIT BRITISH

[@joolsner]

Whatever that means. It's still British, get off your high horse.

[@Scottish_TV_Gold]

@akgd08 very valid point!

[@pauljameskenney2955]

hate why the gong has to go on every headline

[@dangerousdazza]

Good video

[@nostalgiaof98]

Those poor old biddies wouldve been like "we survived the blitz, thats the best you can do?" Truly does remind me of the flying circus pepperpots

[@memoir4you]

@flashbiddy exactly spot on!

[@AnonyAnonymous]

Alastair Burnet, the British version of Angelo Castro Jr.

[@tipthetube3219]

Barton-on-Sea HAMPSHIRE!!!!! Grew up there

[@BeefyMouse]

And they got Jessica down the well... And she alright

[@infectedvoice7293]

The police did a song about Sue Lawley, Suuue Lawleeeey, i feel Sue Lawleeey.

[@benconway9010]

Wat are you on about??

[@infectedvoice7293]

@@benconway9010 The Police were a musical trio, fronted by Sting, they famously had a song called 'Sue Lawley' in the 80's, it goes like this, SUUUUUUE LAWLEEEEEEY, SUUUUUUUEEE LAWLEEEEEY, I FEEL SUE LAWLEEEEY. That is what i am on about Ben Conway you old dog.

[@benconway9010]

@@infectedvoice7293 oh yeah I forgot about sting and the police sorry I thought you were on about the actual police my bad

[@infectedvoice7293]

@@benconway9010no worries Ben Lawley.

[@ScrewInTheTuna_]

1:53 amazing graphics here

[@ragnarragnarson5184]

I was out in the north sea on a trawler when it came across, that was good fun to say the least

[@benconway9010]

Fuck that 😮😮😮

[@grincher2006]

"the city gent" ......lololol

[@charles996]

great outcome of bad modlling

[@BeefyMouse]

And they got

[@G_Silent]

This will happen again someday

[@lordofreality]

Got that one bang on.

[@sophj5920]

sounds scary!!!!