'Badly damaged' Roker prom undergoes extensive repairs

The promenade in Roker, Sunderland, was left "badly damaged" by the storms

A promenade that was ripped up by the force of waves during Storm Ciarán is undergoing extensive repairs.

Paths and surfaces became dislodged along the seafront at Roker, Sunderland, when severe weather hit the UK nearly two weeks ago.

Sunderland City Council said its teams had already worked to remove "large amounts" of debris from beaches.

It warned visitors access to the promenade is "extremely limited". Resurfacing work will begin on Monday.

The tourist spot near Cliffe Park was badly damaged after already being battered by Storm Babet several days before, the council said.

The Hideout Café, which overlooks the damaged promenade, posted on social media that it was "thankful" it had "survived the rough seas".

Over the weekend, contractors dug up the existing surface ahead of resurfacing, which is expected to take up to three days.

Sunderland City Council said driftwood recovered from the beaches would be recycled

A council spokesperson said it had been "working hard to clear up our beaches and seafront" after the storms.

They said: "Beach clean-ups have involved gathering up and removing a large amount of driftwood that was blown in on the waves from the North Sea as well as debris washed down the river and then back onto Harbour Beach at Roker.

"The organic and processed wood removed from the beaches during the clean-ups will all be recycled."

It comes as Roker Pier had to be closed after waves and winds destroyed several metres of railings during Storm Babet.

Sections of decking around the Grade II listed pier's lighthouse were also washed into the sea.

Meanwhile, a large buoy - which normally floats on the surface to mark hazards or a navigation point - believed to have been blown along the coast from South Tyneside, had to be removed from Roker Beach.

The ferocity of the storm washed the pier's railings into the sea