'Erosion means I might lose my home to the sea'

A homeowner in a Suffolk village suffering from coastal erosion is now at risk of losing his property.

Two homes in Thorpeness have already been lost this winter due to the crumbling cliff edge, and two more homes will be pulled down this week after a spate of bad weather.

Mark Packard, East Suffolk Council's cabinet member for planning and coastal management, said nine more properties were now at risk in the village, but no short-term help was available.

Tim Crisp, who is one of those with a property at risk, said erosion at the start of this year had been "completely devastating" to see.

"Every event that happens now is an unforeseen event... this feels like we're coming to the end unless something happens now," he said.

"We're at a critical point in this coastal erosion process."

Crisp said he loved the village and used to spend his summers in the area before he bought his flat.

"We bought this flat as a retirement home only three years ago and now we're staring at the loss of all that – the financial loss, but most of all that emotional loss," he added.

The council said five flats and four other homes were now at risk.

Packard said there was "no way in the short term" the council would be able to place sea defences such as rocks along the coast.

"We can't work on the beach. If we had to do it, it would probably have to be done by sea," he explained.

"That takes time, that takes money. We can't do anything in the short term."

Packard said the recent erosion had been "horrific" and "unexpected" after the council previously said it expected the erosion to "settle down".

The council was working to make sure people were safe, no lives were lost and people in at-risk properties were aware they may have to leave their homes, he said.

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