The Great Storm Of ’87

Channel 5, Thursday, 10pm

Thirty-five years ago, Britain was battered by the biggest storm to hit its shores for three centuries.

Hurricane-force winds tore at the southern counties of England, causing billions of pounds worth of damage and costing 18 lives.

Weather forecasters failed to predict the track and severity of the storm – so when Michael Fish made his now infamous forecast the day before, claiming,“there isn’t a hurricane on the way”, he made TV history.

In this revealing documentary, set against a background 1980’s Britain, we chart the unfolding events hour-by-hour.