REPEATED damage by waves could mean some seafront gardens at Felixstowe being abandoned.Community leaders say it is not worthwhile to keep spending money on repairing the ruined gardens between the prom and the sea wall if the next set of high tides wipes out all the good work.

REPEATED damage by waves could mean some seafront gardens at Felixstowe being abandoned.

Community leaders say it is not worthwhile to keep spending money on repairing the ruined gardens between the prom and the sea wall if the next set of high tides wipes out all the good work.

Now the future of the areas, which have been flooded twice already this autumn, are to be reviewed and they may be replaced with other attractions instead.

The sea has dumped sand and shingle in the raised gardens, covering the lawns, flower beds and paths, killed the grass and plants, and smashed concrete walls.

Andy Smith, deputy leader of Suffolk Coastal, said: “These gardens are history, in my view.

“It's pointless to keep pouring money into them when they just keep getting ruined - why bother putting the grass and plants back?

“We need to be looking at using these gardens in another way if they keep getting flooded, probably putting different surfacing down and using them for play equipment, at least in the short-term.

“In the longer term we will need to look at this area strategically and move completely away from gardens - perhaps the Felixstowe Futures group will look at it.”

Mr Smith said a suggestion to put a new “spider's web” piece of play equipment in the seafront gardens was a brilliant idea and should be looked at seriously.

Doreen Savage, chairman of the Felixstowe play and leisure working party, said the spider's web had been suggested for the seafront or Langer Park. The group had favoured the park as an addition to a proposed major play project for which lottery-funding is being sought.

She said: “I will take it back to the committee and we will look at the possible site again.”

High tides over the past few days have not caused further problems to the gardens.

Waves have struck the edge of the prom, sending spray shooting into the air, and have occasionally washed across the walkway, but the lack of strong winds - with most wind coming off the land - has kept conditions reasonably calm.

Do you think it's a waste of time putting the gardens back? What should the areas be used for? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk