Ingrid wreaks havoc at Torcross, Beesands and Hallsands

Storm Ingrid’s  conjunction of spring tides, a low-pressure storm surge, and south-easterly winds gusting up to 70 miles per hour caused significant damage and heartache in our coastal settlements this weekend. In Torcross, several dwellings (all, thankfully, unoccupied) had their fronts demolished by the force of the waves, while many other suffered broken windows and smashed up garden furniture. During the storm boulders, concrete and wooden benches, and paving stone were hurled about like toys, some ending up in the Ley. The stone wall backing the Start Bay Inn’s car park was partly washed away. One long-term resident said he hadn’t seen anything like it since the great storm of 1979. At one stage the Tank car park was underwater, and the A379 was blocked by tons of shingle and other storm-borne debris.  The road is currently closed (see Road and Traffic updates above) and may remain closed for some time while its length is inspected for storm damage.

At Beesands, meanwhile, the slipway and car park have suffered further damage and are covered in large debris, as is the village green. In Hallsands the sea has taken another bite out of the car park, already significantly shrunken since the Christmas storms. More high winds and rain are forecast for the next few days so it may be some time before full-scale clean-up efforts can begin.