Tears of homeowners forced to leave as clifftop houses demolished before falling into sea
11 March 2023, 18:52
Residents shared their anguish as four wooden homes built on sand dunes were demolished before they would have fallen into the sea.
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The cliffs at Hemsby, Norfolk are home to numerous properties threatened by long-term coastal erosion.
Local firm Anglian Demolition led the demolitions on Saturday, which came as tearful neighbours watched on.
Homeowner Sue, who chose not to give her surname, said she hoped the council had done more to save her home.
She was told she would need planning permission to move her home back from the cliff edge.
At the time of its demolition, it had just one metre to spare.
Sue told the BBC: "It's really annoying.
"It's all your hopes and dreams collapsed into nothingness."
Great Yarmouth borough councillor Noel Galer also said the erosion will have a major negative impact on tourism.
He said: "It's the place where everybody's children tend to go to get a holiday job when they are 16 in the summer holidays and when they're at university when they come back."
Residents are also being evacuated, the council said.
Staff from the local authority have been on site alongside crews from Hemsby Independent Lifeboat Crew and Norfolk Police.
Hemsby Parish Council also said it is supporting residents who have had to leave their homes.
