GARAGE owner Geoff Wiles remembers that one casualty of the flood was a classic two seater Packard V12, owned by a naval officer, which was left up to its axles in flood water at Naval Terrace, Sheerness.

"I was an apprentice fitter at Nokes Garage in Granville Place," he said. "We were lucky that only the inspection pits were flooded, so we had floor space for this car.

"It was an absolute beauty enormously long and high bright red, open top with leather upholstery. For almost two weeks it had stood in flood water and as the battery was set low, it had seized, so had to be towed.

"We worked hard to bring it back to its original state. The bodywork was excellent not pitted or damaged by the sea water. I often wonder what happened to it. At today's prices, it would probably be worth a quarter of a million."