What Caused Plymouth To be Evacuated in 1995?

Bad, naughty Mark from the D&C demanded to know the answer to that one last night at the monthly quiz evening. This was the first time we've taken part in this particular version of the perennial favourite pastime of pub quizzes.

Indeed, Mrs The Millbrooker and I used to compile and run the quizzes at The 'Ark of Fiendship many moons ago; I don't recall us ever having a go at quizzing as in having to answer questions rather than ask them.

However, we gathered as a team of four with Dong and Shazzerooneypoos...

...to enjoy a pre-quiz dinner...

Come the appointed hour, Mark emerged to start firing questions at us. With two rounds down Cabbage Stump Spitfire (look, we needed a name of some sort) was lying a decent 3rd.

Then came the "interval round" - name as many of these sports people as you can:Considering the fact that not a one of us actually follows or particularly cares about sport in general (although I confess a penchant for cricket) we didn't do too badly; failing to recognise any footballers other than Didier Drogba (a happy guess courtesy of his photo showing him in a blue top and sporting darker skin than the average Caucasian) didn't do us many favours, though.

The came the killer question asked in the title of this posting.Well, we did work out that it wasn't the Plymouth just over the Tamar from Millbrook, but to no avail. The answer is "volcanic eruption", the Plymouth in question being the capital of Montserrat where a massive eruption in 1995 caused a mass evacuation.

Anyway, Cabbage Stump Spitfire finished a creditable equal 4th out of 13. I make it a point not to take issue with quiz setters, it's always a hiding to nothing but I should point out that "Which nation consists of over a thousand islands?" has more than one correct answer. We went for The Phillipines (approx 7000 islands); Mark was looking for The Maldives (approx 2000 islands). Now call me a pedant....