SIR Michael Spicer has spoken this week about the 1984 bombing of the Conservative Party Conference which shocked Britain and nearly destroyed a government.

On October 11, at 2.54am, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet including Minister for Aviation, Sir Michael, were in their rooms at Brighton’s Grand Hotel when a devastating explosion tore through the building.

Sir Michael said: “When I opened the main door of the apartment what had been a passage was now a chasm from which billowed dust and smoke.

“As we were on the fourth floor the only means of escape was down a drainpipe and then a fire escape at the front of the hotel.

“I came down wearing only the tiny towel to be greeted on the ground by a large crowd from which a kind person gave me a raincoat and a pair of trousers which were much too big for me.

“Someone said: “The Prime Minister is safe and is being guarded by the police.”

Sir Michael helped organise things on the ground following the strict instructions from the Prime Minister that the “show must go on” and the conference must open at 9.30am the next morning.

“And we did,” said Sir Michael. “Once I was assured that the Prime Minister was safely on stage and surrounded by a small audience all heavily vetted for security, I decided it was time to bow out.

“Outside it was a beautiful crystal clear autumn day. I headed for the beach where I found a corner and fell into a deep sleep.”