A KENT woman who was born in the Chislehurst caves during a Second World War bombing raid has revisited her birth place to show her family around.

Rose Razzell, 70, was born in the caves during an air raid one night in April 1941, during the London Blitz.

Usually pregnant women would be taken to the nearest hospital but at the time it was too dangerous and Rose’s mother, Polly Wakeman, gave birth in the caves.

When Polly could not think of a middle name, the midwife who helped deliver Rose suggested Cavena as a reminder of the place she was born.

The family, who at the time lived in Ravensworth Road, Mottingham, were among thousands who had to spend every night in the caves sheltering from bombs.

When Rose, who now lives in Horsham, and her family returned to the caves last Sunday [October 2] they were able to find the plot where the family had stayed during the war, and were shown the old hospital area where the birth took place.

It was the first time Rose had visited the caves since her 17th birthday, when she was presented with a memorial cup and saucer, which she donated back to the caves on Sunday.

Rose’s grand-neice Jodie Wakeman said: “It was so nice as they gave us a very descriptive, longer tour and I saw things down there we wouldn’t on a normal tour, for example the old-style toilets.

“We were all really chuffed we found one of the plots Polly and the family spent so much time in.

“My Grandad was the only one down there who remembers it and he said he remembered the smell mostly, which is a very damp and dusty kind of smell.”