During severe gales which swept the north west on Friday, November 11, New Brighton DODO tractor was in full action.

Going down to check the boathouse at 2230, Crew Member Cliff Downing found the promenade flooded and more than 100 people trapped in a restaurant to seaward of the ILB station. Honorary secretary Captain John Billington and other crew members were quickly on the scene. Cliff Downing, with Crew Member Steve Ferrie and an ambulance man, drove the watertight tractor through to the badly damaged and flooded restaurant, and brought off, one at a time, three badly injured people. The tractor then started to search the debris-strewn promenade for a youth reported washed off his feet; happily the boy was soon found by a police officer.

When the tide turned the lifeboat contingent helped bring the stranded people from the restaurant back to the lee side of the promenade..