Terrified residents had to evacuated from their cliff-edge homes overnight amid fears their houses could plunge into the sea during a storm surge. At least five people were told to leave their homes as 50mph winds and a high tide of 3.7m threatened to undermine properties perching on a small sand cliff.
Coastguard workers helped fleeing residents at Hemsby, Norfolk, and watched on as patio slabs in some of their gardens slipped into the sea. The 3,000-strong coastal village has suffered from severe coastal erosion in recent years with a number of properties abandoned as the cliffs slip away.
Several residents moved all their belongings out of their homes last night and were taken to a village hall. Some may now need to be permanently rehomed.
