THIS week we mark the 20th anniversary of the Great Storm that swept across the county leaving a trail of destruction in its wake with a 16-page supplement in the Kentish Gazette, Kentish Express, Kent Messenger and Medway Messenger

Such was the scale of this dramatic and devastating event, people can still remember where they were and what they were doing that night and early the next morning.

The storm claimed a number of lives in Kent and provoked scores of stories about lucky escapes.

Kent Messenger Group newspapers told you how the seven oaks in Sevenoaks were decimated; how a policeman escaped serious injury, how eight out of 10 Ashford council houses were damaged; how Dungeness A power station was knocked off-line; how dangerous animals escaped from Howletts wild animal park; how caravans were picked up and destroyed in Thanet; how a cargo ship smashed into Dover’s breakwater and told you about the dramatic rescue of miners from Betteshanger Colliery.

All of these tales, and many more, are reproduced in this supplement along with a series of dramatic pictures from our archive.

Our newsdesks across the county would be interested in your memories of and pictures from two decades ago. You can do this by using the Speakout on KentOnLine to send in your memories.

OR

For Maidstone and West Kent, call 01622 695666 or e-mail messengernews@thekmgroup.co.uk

For the Medway area, call 01634 227803 or email medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk

For the Ashford, Tenterden, Folkestone and Marsh areas, call 01233 623232 or e-mail kentishexpress@thekmgroup.co.uk