CLIVE STEVENS, managing partner of accountants Reeves and Neylan, had to put his own advice into practice when he was stranded in America by Hurricane Frances.

Clive was to be a key speaker at the company's seminar on forward planning. But when all flights were grounded and it became clear he would not make it back in time, the firm had to put its own contingency plan into action.

Colleague Tim Levey, who works with Clive at the company's Chatham office, rearranged his diary and stepped in at the last minute.

Tim said: "The presentation was all about forward planning and looking ahead - but who would have thought Clive would get trapped by a hurricane? It just goes to show you have to be prepared for absolutely anything.

"Luckily the company has a number of experts in all fields so it just took a bit of reorganising and the event went as smoothly as planned."

The event for solicitors from all over Kent had been planned months in advance and included speakers from Reeves and Neylan and Barclays Bank.

But his flight was cancelled and he called to say he definitely would not be back from Florida in time. He and his family eventually arrived home in Cliftonville - almost a week later than planned.

Clive said: "While I was stuck in a wet and windy Florida, it was reassuring to know that we had a contingency plan that was going to deal with the unexpected."