Twenty-six passengers and a driver spent seven hours in a coach from London to Sheerness which was caught by the flood at 2am.

The driver, Spencer Dalton, had decided to return to Sittingbourne when the sea wall burst and several tons of water swept across the marshes.

Mr Dalton persuaded passengers to sit on top of the seat backs as the waters rose, then gradually moved them through the emergency exit and up the ladder above the luggage holds. They were rescued from the roof.