Summary

  • Updates for Norfolk

  1. A recent history of coastal erosionpublished at 21:42 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Laurence Cawley
    BBC News

    A home falls into the sea in 2016Image source, PA
    Image caption,

    One the bungalows in Hemsby which fell into the sea during a tidal surge in 2013

    This stretch of the Norfolk coast has been fighting a long battle with coastal erosion.

    Seven bungalows along The Marrams had to be demolished when sandy cliffs washed away in March 2018.

    In December 2013, "the worst storm surge in 60 years", destroyed seven homes.

  2. What is the council saying?published at 21:36 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Sheila OxtobyImage source, Qays Najm/BBC

    Great Yarmouth Borough Council, external says it is supporting homeowners and assessing damage after high tides caused further erosion of dunes at Hemsby.

    It said it was particularly concerned about three properties, one to the south and two to the north of the lifeboat station, due to their "proximity to the cliff edge".

    The council said it had been a "changing situation" throughout the day following the high spring tides over the last 24 hours, and it was "too early" to say if any of the homes would have to be demolished.

    Chief executive Sheila Oxtoby said: "It's very, very difficult and we are trying to be incredibly sensitive

    "We are dealing with people at a very emotional time but everyone's been cooperative and we're trying to provide as much welfare support as well as dealing with the practicality of the situation."

  3. 'Without the beach there is no Hemsby'published at 21:31 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Kate Scotter and Laurence Cawley
    BBC News

    Alan Jones, second coxswain of the Hemsby Independent LifeboatImage source, Jon Ironmonger/BBC
    Image caption,

    Alan Jones, second coxswain of the Hemsby Independent Lifeboat

    Alan Jones, second coxswain of the Hemsby Independent Lifeboat, said it was immensely upsetting watching the coastline disappearing like it is tonight.

    "It is devastating," he says. "We've worked hard year after year putting the blocks in trying to protect what we can protect.

    "We've tried our best and we've been asking for help. Where is the help coming from? Without the beach, there is no Hemsby."

  4. High tide is officially here at Hemsbypublished at 21:24 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Laurence Cawley
    BBC News

    High tide has officially arrived at Hemsby.

    Alan Jones, second coxswain of the Hemsby Independent Lifeboat, said: "It will sit in now for quite a long while. We are just monitoring the dunes here and a good one or two metres (3ft to 6ft) has just slid off."

  5. 'It's going to be a very busy night'published at 21:18 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Jon Ironmonger
    BBC Look East

    The chickens were rescued "just in time" after the shed they were in toppled into the sea, moments after they were saved.

    Kevin Fenn, one of the lifeboat crew members who found the chickens, said: "We were walking along, checking the bungalows, as we were instructed to do, and we got to the end one and spotted the shed was hanging over the cliff.

    "We went to observe what was in the cage and Stewie said 'I think there's some chickens in there' and we went and had a quick look and there were."

    He said another 10 minutes and the birds would have been in the water as the shed fell over while they were there.

    "We rescued them just in time," he said. "It's going to be a very busy night."

    The shed the chickens were in after it had fallen into the sea in Hemsby
  6. Lifeboat crew rescue chickens from at-risk homepublished at 20:59 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Jon Ironmonger
    BBC Look East

    A lifeboat crew made a last-minute dash to save two chickens from one of the cliff-top homes.

    The crew from Hemsby Independent Lifeboat Station, external received a call that the two birds not been collected from one of the at-risk properties so they made a mad dash to rescue them.

    Lifeboat crews with the rescued chickensImage source, Jon Ironmonger/BBC
  7. 'Looks like we're going to get a major hit'published at 20:56 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Jon Ironmonger
    BBC Look East

    The playhouse at the back of a propertyImage source, Jon Ironmonger/BBC

    A children's playhouse has become the first casualty as high tide approaches.

    Daniel Hurd, the coxswain at Hemsby Lifeboat, external, said the playhouse, which was attached to one of three properties and photographed earlier, was "on the land a little while ago" and had now been swept into the sea.

    He said it was an ominous sign as it had not even reached high tide yet.

    "We're hoping we're not going to get a major hit here but at the moment it's looking like we are going to, the tide is already in the gap area and it's not looking too great now," he said.

  8. Hemsby factspublished at 20:43 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    The popular seaside resort is about 21 miles (33km) east of Norwich and less than eight miles (12km) north of Great Yarmouth.

    It is home to about 3,000 people and was once home to a Pontins holiday camp.

    The beach has been closed since 25 February because of recent erosion.

    It is understood up to three homes are currently at immediate risk.

    Map showing Hemsby
  9. In pictures: Hemsby cliff-top homes at risk of collapsepublished at 20:38 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Here is a selection of images taken by our reporters from the scene earlier today.

    One of the wooden huts that might fall into the seaImage source, Andrew Turner/BBC
    Image caption,

    The wooden properties are getting increasingly closer to the edge

    Emergency services at the sceneImage source, Alex Dunlop/BBC
    Image caption,

    Emergency services are working with officers from Great Yarmouth Borough Council at the scene

    One of the wooden huts at HemsbyImage source, Andrew Turner/BBC
    Image caption,

    It is understood up to three homes are currently at immediate risk

    The cliffs at HemsbyImage source, Andrew Turner/BBC
    Image caption,

    High tide is expected at 21:05

  10. What do we know so far?published at 20:31 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Homes on the cliff at HemsbyImage source, Martin Barber/BBC

    A number of residents have left their homes as they are at risk of collapse.

    The wooden properties at Hemsby are getting increasingly close to the edge.

    Fire crews have been knocking on doors, urging anybody still in the affected properties to leave their homes.

    High tide is due at 21:05 GMT, external, according to the Met Office, and there are fears the homes could fall into the sea.

    The emergency services are working with officers from Great Yarmouth Borough Council, external at the scene.

  11. Welcome to live coveragepublished at 20:26 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    Good evening

    Welcome to our live coverage as fears grow that homes will fall into the sea at Hemsby.

    High tide is at 21:05 and we will be bringing you live updates as events unfold.

  12. As it happened: Cliff-top homes collapse fearpublished at 19:24 Greenwich Mean Time 10 March 2023

    There are fears homes could fall into the sea as high tide hits sandy cliffs.

    Read More
  13. 'We could make more of Thomas Browne brain statue'published at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 9 March 2023

    The city council votes to remove Hay Hill sculptures created to remember a 17th Century doctor.

    Read More
  14. Nursery sector in crisis over spiralling costspublished at 09:25 Greenwich Mean Time 4 March 2023

    An early years representative in Norfolk says nurseries are also facing recruitment problems.

    Read More
  15. Rewilding project boosts plant diversity - reportpublished at 06:13 Greenwich Mean Time 28 February 2023

    The scheme that hosted the BBC's The Watches helps double the number of plants, says an ecologist.

    Read More
  16. Anglia Square redevelopment to take eight yearspublished at 06:17 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February 2023

    A revised plan for homes and shops on the 1960s-built site states work would be completed in 2031.

    Read More
  17. 'I don't want a funeral, it's a waste of money'published at 03:29 Greenwich Mean Time 21 February 2023

    Cremations without a service are on the rise, but others say they need a funeral to deal with grief.

    Read More
  18. Plea not to share fatal stabbing footagepublished at 20:59 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023

    A 23-year-old man died at the scene in Great Yarmouth on Wednesday.

    Read More
  19. Great Yarmouth unexploded bomb: What we know so farpublished at 09:06 Greenwich Mean Time 9 February 2023

    Bomb site in Great YarmouthImage source, Oliv3r Drone Photography

    The bomb disposal experts who were preparing to detonate the suspected unexploded World War Two device are currently rethinking their strategy.

    • The bomb was found on Southtown Road, Great Yarmouth, at about 11:30 GMT on Tuesday
    • Norfolk Police said a sand wall had been built around the device in Bollard Quay and on Wednesday evening, Army disposal specialists had been preparing to cut into the bomb
    • A controlled explosion was due to be carried out and if the first detonation was successful, the remainder of the device would be moved out to sea for another controlled explosion
    • However, when disposal specialists were doing their final calculations, they discovered two underground gas main pipes could be damaged in the blast
    • The Army's Explosion Ordnance Device (EOD) team are now reassessing the risk
  20. Demolition work starts to remove seaside log flumepublished at 15:21 Greenwich Mean Time 3 February 2023

    It has been a "good ride" enjoyed by thousands but it is time to move on, the sites manager say.

    Read More