Coastal residents warned of high spring tide risks

People living in a community that has lost more than 25 homes to the sea in the past decade have been given advice ahead of predicted high tides.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council officers have been speaking to people living near the sea front in Hemsby, Norfolk, offering help and support.

While spring tides occur twice every lunar month, conditions on Friday mean parts of Hemsby could be affected by continued erosion of the dunes.

The current forecast suggests good weather, with sunny intervals with a moderate breeze, but the council said it "remains vigilant to any changes in the forecast".

Flood warnings have been issued for other parts of the Norfolk coast, including the stretch from Eccles on Sea to Winterton.

Council officers have also been collating and adding to their information about locations of utilities and other services such as water supplies and sewerage in the area.

Over the past week, people who have homes closest to the sea on The Marrams and Fakes Road in Hemsby have been visited.

Officers said they were working hard to continue to establish a good understanding of individual circumstances so the council could offer advice and appropriate support for residents when weather conditions worsened in winter.

James Wilson, the council's head of environment and sustainability, said: "’Unfortunately the dunes in Hemsby are vulnerable to continued erosion and, as we approach the winter, we want to do all we can to help our residents who might be affected.

‘’Wherever possible we are in dialogue with those whose homes might be at risk and will look to provide advice and support around issues such as housing and safety.

‘’The safety of our residents remains our number one priority in a location which is seeing the all-too-real impact of coastal erosion.’’

Lorna Bevan, landlady of The Lacon Arms pub and a founding member of Save Hemsby Coastline, said: "It's better they are out and about now than when we are into the storms, I guess.

"It would be nice if they could be more proactive all through the summer; helping get this message to our MP in Parliament that we need protection.

"It would be good if our council could push more actively to higher authorities, but if the council can offer support to those in danger, that is a good thing."

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