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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Katie Weston

Two more cliff-edge homes torn down before they fall into the sea as residents evacuated

Two more clifftop homes have been demolished along a Norfolk coastline amid fears they would plunge into the sea.

Residents at Hemsby were forced to flee their properties on Friday due to 50mph winds and a storm surge which brought a high tide of 3.7m.

Stricken occupants were forced to watch as patio slabs in some of their gardens slipped into the churning sea.

The 3,000-strong coastal village has seen a number of properties abandoned in recent years as severe coastal erosion eats away at cliffs.

A third property was torn down yesterday because it was too close to the cliff edge.

The Hemsby shoreline in January 2023 (Mike Page / SWNS)

Several residents moved all their belongings out of their homes and were taken to a village hall. Some may now need to be permanently rehomed.

Sue, whose property was the first to be demolished, described it as "soul destroying".

While watching in despair as her home was torn down, she told the BBC: "We've got some very happy memories there because it's got a lovely energy to it, lovely atmosphere."

Sue, whose property was the first to be demolished, described it as "soul destroying" (PA)

Staff from the local authority have been on site alongside crews from Hemsby Independent Lifeboat Crew and Norfolk Police.

Hemsby Parish Council is also supporting residents who have had to leave their homes.

Meanwhile, a councillor has warned that the continued erosion of the coastline could cause a "dramatic" decline in the local economy.

Noel Galer, Great Yarmouth Borough councillor for East Flegg ward, containing Hemsby, said the village plays an important role in the local tourism industry.

Hemsby Parish Council is supporting residents who have had to leave their homes (PA)

He said: "It's the place where everybody's children tend to go to get a holiday job when they are 16 in the summer holidays and when they're at university when they come back."

The councillor said there are "loads" of "little companies" there.

He continued: "You can just imagine with virtually no other industry or commerce in Hemsby, I feel that about 90% of Hemsby's economy is dependent on their tourism and if you were to lose the next bit of Hemsby...

An aerial view of Sue's home, which has now been demolished, on the cliff edge at Hemsby (PA)

"It's going to be very difficult to see how that holiday industry is going to continue to operate if you start chiselling little bits away from it.

"I think that the decline when you start to lose parts of it would be quite dramatic. I have a feeling that Hemsby would lose its prominence quite quickly."

He added that there are "precious little other employment opportunities" in the area.

Lance Martin at his home on The Marrams (SWNS for Mailonline)

Referencing tourism data collected by the council, Mr Galer insisted Hemsby has "tremendous value" in the region.

"It's so important," he said. "It's difficult to stress how it would be if Hemsby lost 50 metres in a huge storm or a succession of storms over a week or so. It would be horrendous."

"Can you imagine that with a large number, a majority, of the bookings for Hemsby holidays coming from home grown areas in the UK, the incredible effect that might have on people thinking: 'Oh crumbs, we were thinking of going to Hemsby, we better cancel our holiday - looks like it's going to be closed forever'?"

Police on the scene as one of the homes is demolished (PA)

On evacuated residents, the councillor said people will be "trying very hard" to ensure they are looked after.

"Some people literally have a second home which happens to be very close to the beach," he went on. "Perhaps they knew the risks and understood the risks, accepted the risks.

"Others for various reasons may have found this is the only place they can find to live because of the cost and their circumstances and may not be so aware of what's going on.

"They may have felt there's no way this is ever going to be washed away."

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