Cornwall’s beaches transformed by sheer power of Eleanor
THE raw power of Storm Eleanor has resulted in millions of tons of sand being shifted to create dramatic new landscapes on some of Britain’s most popular beaches.
The 100mph winds combined with powerful tides brought on by a super moon left a significant mark on the Cornish coastline, with 30ft sand cliffs created in some spots.
Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers have warned the public to stay away from the unstable structures and one beach has been closed due to safety fears.
Among the most dramatic changes is a 20ft sheer cliff drop that has been created in the middle of Perranporth beach in Cornwall.
The erosion has left The Watering Hole pub, the only bar in Britain based directly on a beach, perched on its own private island.
Two bridges leading to the beach have also been flattened and Tom Job, the pub owner, said it was now difficult for the public to reach the beach.
The pub was hit by similar storm damage on the same day in 2014. Mr Job said: “We had this once before. It is currently about 20m (60ft) from our front door and when the tide is right up, we are on an island. It does affect trade as you have to walk across the beach to get here. There are two bridges, which have both taken a smashing.
“We are bringing the digger to get away the sharp edges as it is not safe for kids. They will come and level it off. Hopefully, that will alleviate most of our problems.” Yesterday, the pub tweeted: “Bridge usable soon.”
Elsewhere, a 7ft drop has been left on Summerleaze beach further up the north Cornwall coast in Bude where 30ft waves were recorded.
Visitors to the beach are being urged to be wary.
Cornwall Council said: “Please take care if you’re heading to Summerleaze Beach. The recent storms have created a sand ‘cliff’ on the upper shore, leaving a 6-7ft drop in the level of the sand at one of the beach access points.”
The town’s Crantock beach has also been significantly eroded. The lifeguard hut has been undermined, and
‘[The sand cliff] is currently 20m from our front door and when the tide is right up, we are on an island’
32ft sand cliffs formed in some sections of the dunes above it. These dunes have also been driven back, making some former access points unusable.
Nick Ely, coastal engineer for the Environment Agency in Devon and Cornwall, said: “Our post-storm emergency survey teams have been out measuring the extent of change to our beaches to allow us to calculate how much coastal erosion has occurred.”
Dickon Berriman, the RNLI’S area life-saving manager, warned: “We strongly advise visitors to beaches to stay well clear of the sand cliffs that have been formed by the recent high tides and stormy weather. They contain huge quantities of heavy sand and are extremely unstable.”