The Great Storm of 1987 in Lewes: Here are 13 pictures of the destruction ahead of the 35th anniversary

In the early hours of October 16, hurricane-force winds caused devastation and casualties across the United Kingdom and some parts of Europe with forests, parks, roads, and railways strewn with fallen trees and schools were closed.

The British National Grid suffered heavy damage, leaving thousands without power and more than 15 million trees were destroyed.

Photographer Chris Dawson was living in Lewes at the time and took photos of the houses, businesses and pubs that were hit by fallen trees and flying debris.

He said: “The storm was strongest in the middle of the night and all the power went off so we couldn't see anything. All we could hear was the roar of the wind and the sound of roof tiles being ripped off and smashing in the road.

"Thankfully our house suffered very little damage but others were not so lucky.”

Here are Chris’ photos from the historic event, to find more of his photos click here.

What are your memories of the night? Do you have pictures of the damage caused by the winds? Email us at [email protected]