Large sand dunes blown onto Lincolnshire seaside resort walkways after storms

• Video report by Matt Price

There are concerns from people living in a seaside resort that large sand drifts which have appeared on the town's promenade will not be cleared away.

Tonnes of sand regularly blow over the seawall at Sutton on Sea near Mablethorpe, in Lincolnshire, but now there are fears it could put tourists off from visiting.

The Environment Agency has previously removed the accumulations of sand but can no longer afford to assist.

East Lindsey District Council met with Environment Agency officials in June 2021 and agreed that no single authority would be responsible for clearing sand. 

Cllr Robert Watson said the Environment Agency has seen their budget cut by over a half since 2010 so it is "understandable" they cannot help.

"What the district council is trying to do at this time of year is to maintain a basic access. So people can more or less get along the promenade," he said.

For years the beaches have been nourished with sand to provide a defence against waves and tides.

Large areas of land behind the sea wall are at or below sea level.

Leanne Havell is a volunteer with Sutton on Sea Beach care, and has been collecting litter on the beach for eight years. She says the issue makes her job even harder.

"People won't want to see it looking quite as untidy as it does now," she said.

"But the problem is with being on the coast that when the wind blows we are going to get sand.

"It is one of those things unfortunately. It makes it very difficult for beach care tidying up as we can't see what's under the sand."

In a statement, the Environment Agency said it is a flood risk management authority and rules govern how it is able to spend funds, adding its priority "remains focusing on activities to protect people and properties from flooding.”

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