Thirty years ago on Monday, 14 August, 1989, disaster struck when a ‘freak wind’ hit a holiday camp in north Wales.

The Cambrian News covered the story on its front page and on page three, detailing the devastating damage to Butlin’s in Pwllheli.

The wild weather, which hit the camp at the height of the summer season, caused £2 million pounds worth of damage in its wake.

‘Freak wind on £2m rampage at Butlin’s’, the headline read.

“Damage in excess of two million pounds was caused to the Butlin’s Holidayworld Centre, Pwllheli on Monday night by a freak whirlwind which ripped off the roofs of 150 timber built chalets, as well as causing extensive damage to other buildings,” the article stated on Friday, 18 August, 1989.

It went on: “And such was the extent of the devastation that 3,500 people were evacuated from the Centre’s ‘Red Camp’ – 2,000 were sent home during the night, while the remaining 1,500 were accommodated elsewhere in the centre and at the day care centres in Criccieth and Porthmadog.

“At the day care centres they were looked after, following their arrival at around 1.30am, by the Centre staff as well as by members of the WRVS and Social Services. In Criccieth the WRVS staff in attendance were MRD Joan Jones, Margaret Eans and Gwenda Pritchard, all of Criccieth, while WRVS personnel from Caernarfon travelled to Porthmadog. Use was also made of the common rooms at the Hafod y Gest Home for the Elderly in Porthmadog. A number of hotels in the area also provided overnight accommodation for those who had chosen to leave the centre for home. It was late on Monday night, after realising the extent of the damage, that management decided to close of the centre’s Red Camp. Most of the chalets damaged were occupied by members of staff, in an area of the centre called “Sea View”, but commonly known to staff as “The Bronx”. The others were occupied by holidaymakers in Red Camp.”

But it wasn’t just accommodation that bore the brunt of the weather.

“There was also extensive damage to the roof of the centre’s Regency bar, dance hall and entertainment centre, the adjoining kitchen and restaurant, as well as the Continental leisure suite,” the Cambrian News reported.

“At this time of the year the centre is believed to accommodate between 6,000 and 7,000 holidaymakers, plus around 1,000 staff,” it went on.

Detailing the time of the incident, reporter Emyr Williams said: "Disaster struck just after 7.30pm when most of the holidaymakers from Red Camp were in the nearby restaurant enjoying their evening meal. Such was the extent of the damage that a fleet of ambulances and fire engines were rushed to the scene to cope with that turned out to be a serious situation, with doubts at one stage that some people were missing.

“A total of 13 people were taken to hospital in Bangor suffering from minor injuries, with five of them detained there on Tuesday.

“An eye witness described the incident as ‘a real mess’, adding ‘there was quite a panic’.”

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