WE were thrilled to be lent a glut of photos by Jane Dicken.

Jane, of Southill, Weymouth, was having a clear out and came across this treasure trove of old photographs.

These wonderful colour photos show our beautiful county in all forms of weather.

Jane, 73, has lived in Weymouth since she was eight-years-old, although she is still considered to be a foreigner by her husband, she says!

Jane has sent in some pictures of flooding at Weymouth Harbour, caused by the 'Spring Tide' in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

She said: "I can remember Portland beach road being cut off by storms coinciding with very high tides, and that still happens. Also the Preston Beach Road used to be cut off and closed on a regular basis.

"Every winter the council used to have to shovel Preston Beach back into place after it had been washed over the wall, almost burying any vehicle in its way. Including a bus on one occasion. Both these beaches and roads still need costly maintenance every year, despite efforts to prevent the damage happening."

And big storms have brought some unusual visitors to our beaches, Jane said.

"I remember once, when I was about nine or 10, my Dad took me over to the Ferry Bridge Inn at the beginning of the causeway, to see a shark that had been put on display!

"I don't know if it had been caught or if it had washed up on the beach, but I do remember its teeth and this was long before the Jaws films."

There was also a time when Weymouth town centre was hit by floods, Jane recalls.

"My husband remembers a time, probably in the late 50s, when he was staying in a house in King Street opposite the railway station, when flood water came right up King Street. He remembers seeing swans swimming up the road towards the Jubilee Clock."

Jane has also given us some photos of flooding at Radipole, Weymouth.

She said: "The flooding at Radipole village was probably in the 1990s. I use this road on a daily basis and every year I watch the river come up and flood into the fields around and one or two gardens, but it has never got as bad as the photos I sent you.

"On that occasion we had had prolonged heavy rain for days with lots of debris being washed down river. The water had just run off the fields and into the river because the surrounding land was waterlogged and the water had nowhere else to go.

"I think on that occasion debris was washed right down the river to block the sluice gates on Westham Bridge."

Jane remembers a storm which caused flooding on Portland.

She tells Looking Back: "I do remember one particular event when Victoria Square at Portland was very severely damaged by a storm, when the sea came crashing over.

"Cars were tossed around and piled up on each other and fishing boats were smashed. I think people probably lost their homes as well.

"This storm may have been the one to prompt an early warning siren being installed."

We also have these pictures of Weymouth Avenue in Dorchester before trees were felled due to Dutch Elm disease. Jane is unsure which year they were taken.

And also, it is lovely to see this view of Rhododendron Mile near Puddletown when it was at its scenic best and people would take a leisurely drive out to see it.

Jane said: "It's all overgrown now and the road is full of potholes."

*If you've got some extreme weather photos of the local area from bygone days then do get in touch the usual way.