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Hemsby: Warnings issued as cliff erosion causes road collapse

Hemsby Lifeboat coastlineHemsby Lifeboat
People are being warned not to visit the cliff, dunes and beach at Hemsby due to a "significant amount of damage"

People are being warned to stay away from a beach after the collapse of a cliff-top road brought power lines down.

High tides and wind caused "significant damage" at Hemsby in Norfolk with several feet of cliff and dunes washed away on Friday.

Hemsby Lifeboat posted on Facebook to say a 200-metre stretch of road had fallen on to the beach.

Daniel Hurd, lifeboat coxswain said: "Stay away - it's just too dangerous."

Further down the coast in Suffolk, a road has collapsed on to the beach at the Pakefield Holiday Park in Lowestoft, leading to similar warnings to people to stay away from the beach, which the coastguard has described as "a dangerous place to be".

In Hemsby, Mr Hurd said erosion due to the spring tide had led to fallen power lines, cars had been left stranded on The Marrams, which runs parallel to the cliff, and one disabled resident was unable to move from his home.

"People are unable to get to their properties; there's no water supply; it's an absolute joke," he said.

Hemsby Lifeboat Cliff collapse in HemsbyHemsby Lifeboat
Overnight 200 metres of road had fallen into the sea, leaving some cars stranded
PA Media Houses sit on the cliff edge on The Marrams in Hemsby, Norfolk, in 2018PA Media
Several bungalows fell from the clifftop in The Marrams in 2018

The lifeboat crew, which is independent and not part of the RNLI, was helping residents while Norfolk Police who had closed off some roads.

Its lifeboat station is set slightly back from The Gap - an area of dunes at a lower point between higher sandy cliffs.

More on Norfolk erosion:

Hemsby Lifeboat added on its social media post: "The road along The Marrams to the south has also fallen into the sea, restricting access and creating very dangerous conditions.

"This has left the Gap area and dunes in a very unstable condition, and we are asking anyone visiting the beach this weekend to be extra vigilant.

"If you are in the area of the Gap, please stay away from the edge and the base of the dunes, as there is a high risk of further collapse."

Use your mouse, or tap and drag, to explore this interactive 360° video tour along the Hemsby coastline, filmed in March 2023
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