D-Day 80: Remains at Lepe Beach inaccessible for anniversary

Historical D-Day structures on the Hampshire coast will be inaccessible for the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings, following storm damage to a beach.

Thousands of troops left from Lepe Beach in June 1944, and some of the structures had remained after the war.

Part of the beach was washed away during storms last month.

Hampshire County Council said checks had shown the remains were unaffected but the beach would stay shut.

The D-Day section of Lepe Beach has been cordoned off since 9 April

Lepe Beach was an embarkation point for thousands of troops and vehicles involved in the D-Day landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944 and evidence of the wartime installations can still be seen.

Concrete blocks on the beach enabled vehicles to be loaded on to landing craft and several so-called dolphins were part of the pier on which landing craft tied up while troops boarded.

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Lepe also saw the construction of parts of the Mulberry Harbours which were taken to Normandy to allow troops and supplies to be landed.

The council said it had carried out assessments along with landowners, the Cadland Estate, into the safety of the beach.

"A large section of material was washed into the sea at Lepe around the area of beach that contains some concrete remains of the D-Day Mulberry floating harbour," the council said.

Concrete structures from the D-Day embarkations have remained since the end of the World War Two (pictured in 2015)

"This also exposed parts of the historical structure that had previously been hidden from view.

"Our initial checks suggest that the 'dolphins'... and a memorial appear to be in the same condition as they were before this incident."

Dolphins relates to the pier head used for loading ships.

Commemorative events to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day at Lepe next month will go ahead as planned on the cliff top next to the country park's car park, the council said.

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