The storm which left a Hartlepool road covered in boulders

But in 1978, Hartlepool experienced a storm which pretty much threw a lot of everything at the town.

Who remembers the winter when we got freak high tides, gale force winds and heavy snow in one night of January havoc?

It was so bad that the road from Newburn Bridge towards Seaton was shut. Not because of snow though, but because there was a mix of everything from boulders, driftwood, sand and even parts of the damaged promenade on it.

The Seaton promenade had collapsed in three places and, in one spot, there was a 600 sq yard gaping hole.

Our report at the time said: “Further along, the walkway had been destroyed in one area and a sizeable part of reinforced wall was nowhere to be seen.”

On the Headland, Marine Drive was awash.

The Heugh breakwater was damaged.

On Easington Road, the roof of a Dutch barn was blown off.

The A19 was closed at Easington after a 50ft section of a footbridge blew onto the dual carriageway.

At Hartlepool docks, no boat had left port for two days. In fact, the local fishermen weren’t the only ones taking shelter.

Fifty Danish trawlers and four ships from Grimsby were also packed into town.

Torn-down trees blocked a carriageway on the A181 and in Peterlee, windows were blown out.

Scaffolding collapsed in one area of Peterlee and damaged a block of garages.

In Horden, power cables were torn down and windows were smashed.

Who remembers it all?

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