One of the worst storms in living memory, the devastion of Penzance by flooding

Westward TV's reporter Terry Fleet is in Penzance where the army has been drafted in to help with the clean-up on the seafront. The flooding on 9 March 1962 in Penzance is one of the worst in living memory. The Great Storm first hit America killing 40 people and then the western tip of Cornwall, England and Penzance and Newlyn are particularly affected. Roads are closed, railway tracks are washed away and the flooding of surrounding areas leaves over 300 people without homes.

Some 50 homes were evacuated, only Reverend WHR, Mrs Trewhella and Walter Lockett and his wife stayed to brave the storm. Mr. Matthews the Mayor of Penzance said at the time -'Some 300 persons were rendered homeless, many having lost much of their possessions-' The storm is said be one of the worst in living memory, it took eight months to repair the sea defences alone, they were built with a curved wall in order for flood waters to be directed back into the sea. The Valentine's Day flood of 2014 breached the sea defences.