The wartime tunnels which were home to thousands

Thousands of people lived in Ramsgate Tunnels during World War Two

Underneath a seaside town in Kent lies a hidden network of underground tunnels.

Ramsgate Tunnels began life transporting Victorian families by rail under the town to reach the seafront, but ended up a lifesaving place during the dark days of World War Two.

They became a sanctuary to shelter from Hitler's bombs and home to thousands of people.

Steve Pankhurst, a volunteer and trustee of the tunnels, said: "We were one of the first blitzed towns in England and Churchill visited to assess the damage."

Ramsgate Tunnels is in fact a complex of two sets of tunnels.

The first was a railway tunnel from 1863 until 1926, which brought tourists directly under the town to the seafront.

Mr Pankhurst said: "Ramsgate was a very popular watering hole for the Victorians.

"Princess Victoria, before she was queen, had a house here."

The seafront station became redundant in 1926 when a new Ramsgate station was built in the town centre.

The second complex of tunnels was conceived in 1936, when, with the threat of war looming, it was decided to dig an air raid shelter system under the town.

The wartime tunnels are 2.75 miles (4.4km) long with 12 entrances.

They were built to house 60,000 people a total of 21 metres (70ft) underground.

Mr Pankhurst said: "They could sleep here or they could just sit here out of an air raid.

"We believe two to three thousand people slept here on a regular basis."

On 24 August 1940 more than 500 German bombs fell on Ramsgate, leaving 957 people homeless.

Remarkably, only 31 people died.

Winston Churchill visited Ramsgate to assess the bomb damage in August 1940

Mr Pankhurst said: "Eventually, prefabricated cubicles were built for families as well as toilets and a cafe.

"People even had concerts and dances down here."

Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited the tunnels four days after the raid to assess the damage.

"He was told he couldn't come into the tunnels with a cigar on the go, so he had to throw it away," Mr Pankhurst said.

Ramsgate Tunnels is now a popular tourist destination, giving visitors an insight into what the town's population endured in wartime.

Mr Pankhurst said: "The legacy of this place is the number of people who survived the war who weren't threatened on the surface."