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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Dan Warburton

Shocking image shows extent of coastal erosion over 30 years as houses are demolished

Crumbling into the sea, dramatic images lay bare 30 years of coastal erosion which has left terrified homeowners fearing for their cliff-top homes.

Aerial footage shot over three decades shows properties on the east coast of England being lost one by one as the waves and weather batter the cliffs below.

Three homes in Hemsby, Norfolk, were demolished this weekend amid fears they would crash into the sea.

Winds of up to 50mph and a high tide of 3.7m forced others to abandon their properties over concerns they would slip into the water.

The coastal village - which has a population of around 3,000 - has suffered from severe coastal erosion for years.

Footage taken by local drone team Pink Spitfire Aerial Photography showed how diggers were brought in to destroy the properties.

As a result, at least five people had to be evacuated and some will have to be permanently re-homed.

One man who was evacuated, Kevin Jordan, 69, says he “lives in fear” that his home may have to be demolished.

The coastline of Hemsby, Norfolk in 1993 (Mike Page / SWNS)

The retired IT engineer said: “I’m disabled and I can’t walk very far. I don’t know what I’m going to do when the road collapses - and it will.

“No one would want to buy my property now. I don’t have the savings to walk away and buy another place.

“If my house is condemned I would be homeless - I’ve never been in this situation before.”

Kevin and his elderly neighbour Margaret have been told their water may be soon cut off as their mains pipe is now hanging exposed over the cliff.

Kevin’s £85,000 two-bed detached bungalow also now has no vehicle access after the only road to his property, The Marrams, was undermined by this weekend’s storm surge.

Coastguards revealed a new 10ft drop into the sea had been created meaning the local lifeboat can no longer be launched.

Hemsby residents have been fighting to get a rock berm in place in a bid to help stop the erosion even further.

The planning permission was due to come through a year ago, but the government’s Marine Management Organisation has yet to sign off on the plans.

An image taken this month shows dramatic loss of cliffs to waves and weather (Mike Page / SWNS)

Ian Brennan, 63, the chairman of Save Hemsby Coastline, has been campaigning for 10 years to ensure the future of those living on The Marrams.

He said: “Hemsby is suffering. Three families lost their homes this week - try and imagine the mental health impact on those who are next in line.

“Seeing what has happened and knowing if nothing is done it is going to happen to you must be a terrifying prospect.

“The authorities know what needs to be done and it’s only political will and the inaction of the landowners and the absence of funding that makes their loss pretty inevitable.

“The last study showed that 92 homes are at risk if nothing is done. How much does Hemsby need to bleed before something is done?”

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