BACK in 1987 the aftermath of the Great Storm was dealt with by Eastern Electricity with far less controversy.One week after the storms of the night of October 15/16, Eastern Electricity had 1,800 people without power in the Ipswich area – mostly living in small hamlets and isolated communities.

BACK in 1987 the aftermath of the Great Storm was dealt with by Eastern Electricity with far less controversy.

One week after the storms of the night of October 15/16, Eastern Electricity had 1,800 people without power in the Ipswich area – mostly living in small hamlets and isolated communities.

With a staff of just 200 men employed by Eastern Electricity, the company took quick action in relocating 700 extra linesmen to speed up the process of re-connecting those homes without power.

These men came from Scotland, Manchester, Wales, Yorkshire and Northern Ireland – areas, which suffered comparatively less damage to East Anglia.

Eastern Electricity chiefs declared a "board-wide emergency" for the first time in living memory, with the Shotley Penninsula particularly effected.

Power was restored in most homes by Saturday October 24 – eight days after the storms.

A spate of power cuts followed in Ipswich and Felixstowe for the rest of the year due to problems stemming from the Great Storm.

South Suffolk MP Tim Yeo called on the government to re-evaluate its storm damage compensation scheme to ensure rate payers in Suffolk did not loose out after they had suffered storm damage and power cuts.

As a sign of the speed in which power cables, trees and other storm damage was repaired in Suffolk, a special reception was held at the Town Hall at which Mayor Derek Warsop thanked workers.