I was living in Horsham at that time so pretty much in the thick of it. My experience of it? Well the letter box flap rattled once o twice but I managed to ignore it and slept like a baby. Got up looked out at the scene of bins rolling around saplings flattened and an eerie lack of traffic...
Then I went out to walk to my bosses for a lift. Trees uprooted, sheds perched on hedges, householders wondering how their fence had finished up where it did.
My route took me over a level crossing and I amazed to see the amount of oxidation on the rails, this was main commuter line not some derelict siding, weird. Boss said work was cancelled. So I went back home, several pots of tea later I mooched down try to the pub, which was open despite no power, the ale was all hand pumped so winner all round!