High tide damage clear up begins

CLEAR-UP operations are under way today at Felixstowe seafront to repair damage and remove debris left by the sea surge and high tides.

Tons of shingle are being shovelled off the prom and back onto the beach by a tractor digger so that sweeping machines can remove the remainder left behind last week.

In some places the shingle is six inches deep where the waves swept across the walkway and smacked into sea walls.

Parts of the prom were damaged again along the south beach, where huge concrete sections were lifted by the power of the water.

Gardens which were flooded are also being cleaned although with more high tides due in a fortnight, they may suffer further damage and will not be properly cleared until next spring.

The resort escaped major damage during last Friday's alert with the tide nowhere near as high as predicted and well below September's, when waves reached the top of the sea wall and splashed into Sea Road.

Wind direction was favourable to Felixstowe and the sea surge passed two hours before high tide.

Suffolk Coastal District Council, which co-ordinated the response to the high tides at Felixstowe and all along the district's coastline, said it had been a glimpse of the serious havoc that could occur as a result of flooding.

And council chairman Cliff Cocker paid tribute to all those involved in the emergency planning to deal with the flood risks.

He said: “The way that they controlled the available facilities and helped assure the local affected population is another shining example of why Suffolk Coastal is considered a good place to live.”

n Do you think Felixstowe's sea defences will survive the winter? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk