The day began normally enough. Once at my desk, I began to prepare for our select committee meeting in the afternoon, which was looking at the vexed question of keeping primates, especially in the home. Dr Alison Cronin, who runs Monkey World near Wool, was giving evidence and I was looking forward to seeing her. She is recognised as one of the leading experts in this field and has campaigned on this issue for some time. Anyway, I wasn't to meet her. At about 1100 the telephone rang and I was told the alarm had gone off on Portland, warning residents of the risk of serious flooding or worse. I immediately called my Whip to seek permission to escape the three line and head to Dorset. I was released. At the same time, our former vicar was in the House and I just had time to show Hugh Maddox to his seat above the Chamber before leaping into my car. Once back home, I pulled on some waterproofs and my motorcycle gear and headed to Portland. By this time I'd been told the causeway was closed so I knew there'd be traffic chaos, so I decided to risk wind and rain and go on two wheels rather than four. I'm glad I did. The congestion trying to cross to Portland was bad, with only one lane open and that was flooded badly. I chatted to the police on the mainland side, was grabbed for a television interview by ITV, and then joined the long line of cars as we slowly headed across the causeway. The wind was horrendous and on more than one occasion I felt as if my motorcycle was going to be blown over. Once on the other side, I headed to Brandy Lane where the most damage had been done by a monumental sea which had crashed across the sea defences, hurling pebbles everywhere. There were two significant pools of standing water and it didn't take an engineer to realise the problem was blocked drains. I got on the phone to the Environment Agency and I'd like pay tribute to Rachel Jacobs and Guy Parker who could not have been more helpful. I asked for pumps, and vehicles with a blade to clear up all the rubble. They said they'd work on it. As I spoke a lorry arrived and dropped some sandbags off on the side of the road. Residents were soon tucking in and placing them outside doors and other entrances. The Reverend Tim Gomm and his two junior ministers were there too, doing all they could to help and reassure. As always, the islanders kept their sense of humour, and everyone was helping each other out. At the Cove Inn, Mandy, one of the joint licensees, was clearly unhappy and understandably so. A giant wave had smashed windows and poured into her bedroom. You have to go there to realise just how high the sea was for it to do that. But friends and family were keeping her spirits up. The wind was incredibly strong and it nearly blew me off my feet. I visited some residents and called Cllr Sandy West to see if she could call the council and get some more sandbags. As always, Sandy was wonderful and responded with gusto. I remained on the ground until about 1800, when there was nothing more I could do. Back on the motorbike and with the wind buffeting me all the way back home. An eventful day.