Newly released aerial footage has provided a stark visual testament to the devastating pace of coastal erosion consuming the Norfolk village of Hemsby, widely regarded as Britain's most eroded coastline.
A Vanishing Landscape: From Sandy Buffer to Precipice
Video captured by 86-year-old Mike Page in 1998, and again this weekend, paints a heartbreaking picture of change. The earlier clip, taken from a small plane, shows a generous stretch of sandy dunes and beach acting as a protective buffer between the North Sea and a line of colourful wooden chalets.
Today, that buffer zone has vanished entirely, along with the homes and the community that lived there. The cliff edge now menaces the back gardens and doors of remaining properties, where once there was a view of the sea across land.
Mr Page, who grew up in nearby Gorleston, stated: 'Over the past 20 years, it has only been wooden houses and chalets which have been lost to the erosion. But we are now at the point where the coastline keeps receding - and it's going to be brick houses.'
The Relentless Toll on Homes and Community
The statistics are severe. An estimated 1,000 feet of coastline has been lost since the 1970s. In the past 12 years alone, 34 properties have been claimed by the advancing sea. The situation is accelerating, with Great Yarmouth Borough Council having begun demolishing 11 more homes last month to prevent them falling onto the beach below.
Earlier this month, a further 14 homeowners received evacuation notices after atrocious weather and Storm Goretti stripped away another 30 feet of land in just one week. The council is offering temporary accommodation and has staff in the village to provide support.
'The locals are going insane and people have been evacuated,' Mr Page added. 'It's terrifying knowing that so many livelihoods are teetering on the edge of collapse. But unfortunately with erosion, there's nothing much you can do to stop it.'
Personal Stories of Loss and Desperation
The human impact is profound and deeply personal. Carol Boyes, 80, was evacuated from her home on January 2nd. She revealed that when she moved there 23 years ago, nearly 100 feet of land stood between her property and the sea. 'We wouldn't have bought the property if we'd known that was going to happen,' she said. 'It's gone too quick.'
Other residents face an uncertain future. Eric Forbes, 59, living with multiple health conditions, complained about the lack of alternatives: ‘I haven’t got a Plan B... Round here, monthly rent is about £1,400. That’s a lot when you’ve already got something you’ve paid for.'
Some, like former Grenadier guardsman Lance Martin, have fought back with extraordinary measures, using heavy machinery to drag his chalet back from the cliff edge twice before the land it originally stood on finally collapsed into the sea.
Despite the known risk, properties on the notorious Marrams road have still been sold, some for as little as £10,000. Council officials have criticised local estate agents, urging a 'moral duty' to be clearer about the imminent danger, while agents argue sales provide some equity for current owners and affordable options for buyers aware of the 'environmental challenges'.
Mr Page lamented the change to Hemsby's character, calling it a 'great and interesting place' historically and geographically. He expressed hope the erosion 'doesn't disqualify it for being a lovely attraction,' but for many long-standing residents, the only choice left is to leave.
