IT was 4pm on Thursday, August 5, and there I was in Asda, in the queue for ten items or less, when somebody said: "It has just started raining".

Well we all know what happened after that. "Rain" was an understatement. It was bucketing down!

Then the "nightmare" began. First of all the lights started to dim, then there was the sound of water - not from outside I hasten to add. No, the noise was from inside the store. Water, water, everywhere, from the groceries to the toiletries and beyond.

All the lights went out leaving the store in total darkness. By this time most of the people had made their way to the doors.

"Freda" announced that the store was to be evacuated immediately, so, being a man who nearly always does as he is told, I did so, taking with me my ten items or less (must remember to nip back and pay for them sometime).

None of the fire exits seemed to be being used. It really should have been handled better. I believe they had to send for senior staff from the Pilsworth store to help.

B.D.(a survivor),

Brandlesholme, Bury.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.