Why did a deep hole appear on a beach?

The hole of Felixstowe beach has been forming over recent weeks and is now very deep

In the past few days beachgoers have been wondering why a very deep hole appeared on the Suffolk coast. The 12ft-deep (3.7m) formation appeared on Felixstowe beach near the Cliff Road car park and the mouth of the River Deben. People have been warned to stay away, but what exactly is it and what is being done about it?

What is it and how long will it be there for?

John White said holes of this type happened "all the time" on the beach

John White, who has been the Felixstowe Ferry Harbour master for over 30 years, said holes like this were common due to the nearby River Deben.

"If you understand that the river entrance is like a delta - you've got several channels and all these channels have shingle banks each side of them.

"Over the course of the winter we get quite a lot of movement with the shingle what with the tides and the onshore winds.

"What happens is the channels get filled in and you get these holes left, like little lagoons.

"It happens all the time, if you look back to near the seawall there are two lagoons there that were formed more than 20 years ago."

He said he expected more further to the north over the spring period.

"It's a natural phenomenon that happens all the time."

Mr White stressed the formation was "definitely not a sinkhole".

Are the authorities doing anything?

The Felixstowe Coastguard Rescue Team said it would be monitoring the hole closely over the next few months.

East Suffolk Council said the hole was on land managed by the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency said it managed and maintained defences in this area, but it was not responsible for managing the beach. It understood that the hole was not near its assets and therefore responsibility lay with the East Suffolk Council.

Why is there a warning?

The hole appeared a short way down from where the River Deben meets the sea

Senior Coastal Operations Officer Christon Iliffe from HM Coastguard explained the dangers these holes could present.

"Big holes on the beach look inviting to explore but please be mindful of the hidden dangers, particularly when they fill with water," he said.

"Beach holes are sometimes deceptively deep and can pose the risk of injury from falling in, the sides collapsing, and people and even their pets suddenly getting out of their depth in very cold water."

Felixstowe Coastguard Rescue Team added that tides and winds continuously changed and while in the warmer months the hole and water could be inviting to get into, it strongly urged people not to.

What happens next?

The coastguard will continue monitoring the hole while urging people to stay away from it.

Water may fill the hole and exit with the changing of tides.

Mr White said he expected the hole to "slowly fill in if we get big swells between now and the summer".