Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Essex today to attend a special flood memorial service.

The visit marked the 60th anniversary of the Great Flood and was arranged to commemorate the many lives that were tragically lost in Essex and further afield.

The private service brought together dignitaries and representatives from across south Essex, including survivors of the floods, to reflect on the tragedy which disrupted and destroyed so many lives.

The service included a reading by The Princess Royal, an address by Essex County Councillor for Canvey Island West Ray Howard of his memories as a Canvey flood survivor, a drama performance by the Cast and Crew Flood! Workshop, and a prayer reading by Councillor Peter Martin.

On the evening of 31 January 1953 England was struck by some of the worst flooding from the North Sea in recent history which caused devastation to the east coast including many of south Essex’s coastal towns. Damage stretched to Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, and the outer Thames Estuary, as well as further afield in The Netherlands and Belgium.

FLOOD VICTIMS TELL THEIR STORIES IN AN EIGHT PAGE SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT IN TOMORROW'S HARWICH STANDARD.