HIGH winds spell severe danger in coastal and forest areas.

In November 1954, a 72mph gale led to 50 people being rescued from Wick Caravan Camp at Christchurch, while dozens of cars were marooned in deep water at Bridge Street.

Bournemouth Echo:

Girls' training ship, Hampshire, driven ashore at Whitecliffe by 72mph gales in 1954

A man was killed at Holmsley when his motorbike crashed into a fallen tree.

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In July 1956, a 70mph gale wrecked Ben Keene’s Wild West Show at King’s Park, with horses dashing out of the showground.

Around 600 deckchairs were swept out to sea.

Bournemouth Echo:

Resident in Southbourne Avenue surveys the damage after a violent storm in July 1956

That October, a freak whirlwind left a trail of damage along the best part of a mile in Bournemouth. Houses were damaged, part of a football stand ended up in the middle of the pitch at Dean Court and trolleybuses were without power.

The great storm of October 1987 devastated much of Britain and cost two firemen their lives in Dorset.

Bournemouth Echo:

Belle Vue Mansions after the 1987 storms

Fireman Graham White, 46, and sub-officer David Gregory, 47, died when a tree fell on the cab of their fire engine on Lymington Road, Highcliffe.

Bournemouth Echo:

Greystone block of flats in Highcliffe had its roof ripped clean off in storms 1987

Another spate of severe storms in January 1990 killed at least 45 people across the country, including four locally.

George Learmount, 62, of Hightown Gardens, Ringwood, and Ray Farnden, 58, of Fleets Lane, Poole, were killed by collapsing scaffolding as they repaired a stately home in West Sussex.

Bournemouth Echo:

Damage in King's Park after 1987 storm

Swanage man John Green ,78, died after he was blown over, while Lesley Glazier, 44, of Sturminster Newton, was killed when her car hit a tree which crashed on the Blandford-Poole road at Charlton Marshall.

Bournemouth Echo:

Workmen tackle storm damage on Bournemouth beach in January 1988

Many schools were closed after the roofs were ripped off, while a tree crashed through a classroom at Colehill.