When former Swale mayoress Rose Hopper was five she was put on a steam train and sent 250 miles from her home in Croydon to Wadebridge in north Cornwall.

She was among the first evacuees as the Government prepared for the outbreak of the Second World War on September 1, 1939.

On Sunday night her story was told 80 years later by her grandson Steve Brown as part of the BBC One Countryfile Evacuee Special.

TV presenter Steve, who grew up on Sheppey and now lives in Sittingbourne, said: "It was the largest single movement of people in the UK's history. Two days before Britain declared war on Germany, one-and-a-half million children were evacuated from the cities to the countryside.

"Schoolchildren were labelled like pieces of luggage in what was called Operation Pied Piper. They had no idea where they were going or when they would next see their parents."

Steve said: "My Nan Rose was one of them."

Parents weren't even allowed on train platforms to wave farewell to their children in case they changed their minds.

Rose's younger brother Melvin Hopper, who runs the Heritage micropub at Halfway, told Steve: "The children all got off the train together and had to wait until they were picked by a new family. Families picked the children they liked the look of."

Many ended up as cheap labour for farmers.

But Steve said: "My Nan was very lucky and had a happy experience. I loved listening to her bedtime stories."

Unfortunately, his grandmother died last month before she could be interviewed for the show.

Instead, Steve travelled to Cornwall piecing together her journey using information from Croydon Museum and learning how all youngsters had to take their own clothes and gas mask.

Melvin said: "Evacuation for her was a pleasure as she had a great family to live with and kept in touch with them until they died about 20 years ago."

Rose went on to become Swale mayoress after marrying Richard Moreton and helped set up the Swale Youth Development Fund. She died at Medway Maritime Hospital last month, aged 85.

She was born Rose Hopper in Croydon on January 24, 1934, and had two brothers, Bob and Melvin and two sisters Pat and Maureen.

Her son, Swale councillor Mike Whiting who also holds the highways portfolio at Kent County Council, said: "Mum was diagnosed with dementia a few years ago but she never forgot the names of her three children, 10 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren."

He added: "Despite all her difficulties, she never lost the ability to smile and laugh."

* Were you evacuated in the war? Share your memories and photos with us by calling 01795 580300 or email timesguardian@thekmgroup.co.uk