A HAMPSHIRE woman stranded in Bermuda was preparing for the worst last night as the tropical island paradise braced itself for a terrifying 125mph hurricane to hit.

Susan Rowley and two relatives were set to flee their third floor apartment and shelter in a windowless laundry room to escape Hurricane Gonzalo, which is due to hit the island today.

Susan, 64, is staying with her sister and brother-inlaw, Rita and David Harries, who used to live in Romsey.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Echo, the retired sales assistant told how Bermuda was battening down the hatches as the hurricane hurtled towards it.

Susan, of Burley in the New Forest, said: “According to the computerised projections we’re in line for a direct hit.

“A big shopping mall closed yesterday and isn’t due to reopen until Monday.

The schools have closed and all the public transport will probably stop running later today.

“Like everyone else we’ve been out getting food and other supplies. We’re also going to tape up all the windows.

“Everyone on the island is taking it very seriously. I’m a little bit apprehensive as I’ve never encountered anything like this before.

Susan’s husband Simon is recovering at home in the New Forest from his own encounter with extreme weather having been injured when the apartment was damaged by Tropical Storm Fay last weekend. He was trying to fix a rattling window when it was blown in by ferocious winds, sending him flying across the kitchen.

He said: “I’m concerned about my wife and would like to be out there with her.

“Susan is the sort of person who would keep calm in a crisis – in fact she’ll probably be trying to keep other people calm.”

Gonzalo has already uprooted trees, downed power lines and damaged scores of boats in the Caribbean islands of Antigua, St Maarten and Martinique.

Susan is spending three weeks on the island and met Rory McIIroy at the PGA Grand Slam golf tournament.