They ran to the helter-skelter when the sirens started.
helter-skelter
idiom Slang
Cockney rhyming slang · East London
an air-raid shelter
Origin
Referring to the speed required to run to such a refuge and the fact they were often underground.
During the air raids, families spent their nights huddled together in the dark, crowded helter-skelter.
The old, reinforced helter-skelter remained in the garden as a grim reminder of the city's wartime history.
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Last updated June 7, 2026