Scarborough sea defences damaged by tidal surge

When the tide was at its height, Whitby harbour was battered by waves - hours later peace returned as dawn broke over the harbour

Sea defences along the coast will be assessed later to discover what repair work needs carrying out

North Yorkshire Police said it was working to reopen roads in Scarborough once safety checks and cleaning had taken place

Seafront businesses in Whitby and Scarborough bore the brunt of the damage caused by the tidal surge

Council workers have begun to clear piles of sand and debris the tidal surge left behind on roads and pavements

About a third of sea defences in part of Scarborough's North Bay have been damaged by the tidal surge that hit the town on Thursday.

A full assessment of the sea defences along the Yorkshire coast will be carried out later, police said.

The Environment Agency said high tides on Friday passed without further significant flooding.

Its initial estimates suggest about 400 properties have been flooded along the North Yorkshire coast.

Supt Glyn Payne, from North Yorkshire Police, said: "We are aware that around 30% of sea defences around the Sands development in Scarborough's North Bay have been damaged with the surge last night.

"We will be assessing the damage right down the coast and what remedial action needs to be done."

He said there had been a small landslip around the Castle headland but it was not thought to be significant. Further assessments will be carried out later.

In Whitby, the town had been plunged into darkness as the tidal surge breached the harbour walls and flooded dozens of nearby properties.

Mayor John Freeman said: "The emergency services were absolutely on the ball given the tremendous amount of work needing to be done.

"Once the power cables were hit and the electricity went out that made the job much more difficult to cope with."

The Environment Agency said a number of flood warnings remained in place across Yorkshire and the Humber.

Tony Andryszewski, flood manager with the agency, said: "We are still assessing the number of properties flooded in Yorkshire. Currently it is around 400 and is still rising."

Melissa Mia, owner of the Beach Cafe on the South Bay in Scarborough, said: "Everything around our cafe has gone.

"It hasn't floated away so we will just have to assess the damage and start clearing up and getting on with the business, but seeing your shop getting broken apart is heart breaking."

Wayne Bibby from the Harbourside gift shop, Scarborough, said it was impossible to count the financial cost yet.

"You put your heart and soul into your business and it is ruined," he said