PRESS RELEASE                                                                             7th April 2008
 
Local Villagers Halt Tide

Volunteers from Southwold and Walberswick have completed a mammoth task to fill a breach caused by the storm surge of 9th November 2007 allowing 100 acres of the picturesque Blyth Estuary to be reclaimed from the sea.
 
“We have been campaigning to persuade the Environment Agency to repair these walls for six months since the sea came in.” said John Huggins, Blyth Estuary Group.
 
The exhibition of local determination started weeks ago when over 2,000 sand bags were filled at Walberswick Quay before being taken up river in a flotilla of small boats provided by local river users.
 
A small handful of experienced river users then set about the tricky task of filling a hole that sees the tide surge in and out twice a day. In just two days of hard manual labour the barrage was completed and the reward was to see the water levels on the marsh begin to drop.
 
“The Walberswick SOS protest showed just how much people care about this area, but this work shows how determined those people are not to be trampled under the DEFRA jackboot. This has proved that the walls can be repaired and the harbour preserved” continued John Huggins.
 
Ironically it is only as a result of this local voluntary effort that the Environment Agency can complete its works further downstream. Without draining the water from Tinkers Marsh it would not be possible for the Environment Agency to stabilise its defence works at Palmers Lane which provides the only physical link between the two communities of Walberswick and Southwold. If the work is not finished properly there is a real danger that the wall could fail potentially injuring some of the many thousands of people that enjoy walking between the two places.
 
The Environment Agency wants to implement an abandonment policy in respect of the river and sea defences in and around the Blyth Estuary citing that it is not possible to protect either physically or financially.
 
“This is not about protecting six houses in Walberswick as the Environment Agency claim, or 100 acres of marshland, this is about preserving a local tourist economy worth £25 million a year, so we are urging DEFRA to re-engage and come up with some more sensible ideas than simply abandoning their responsibility” said Andrew Blois, local land owner.
 
The Blyth Estuary Group has evidence to show that the scientific assumptions made by DEFRA and the EA are fundamentally flawed and has engineering schemes that will cost a fraction of the millions that the EA insists.
 
Andrew Blois commented, “I am enormously thankful for the sterling effort that has been put in by everyone to make this happen. By sealing this breach we have removed the gun that was being held to our heads by DEFRA, and now we have the time and space to breathe in order to properly contemplate the future of our estuary and community”
 
ENDS
 
For further information please contact Chairman BEG.
07970 116617
southwold.tc@virgin.net
 

Click on the images below to view/download Hi-Res versions.

All images copyright Andrew Blois except for Walberswick SOS copyright Mike Page (www.mike-page.co.uk). Images are free for editorial use only.

 
 
NOTES:
 
The Blyth Estuary Group (BEG) is a committee dedicated to preserving the nature and businesses that thrive on the Blyth. It is made up of Councillors, landowners, local businessmen and residents concerned by the proposed strategies of the Environment Agency (EA). It has commissioned surveys and research which has exposed a number of flaws in the EA’s science which it says fully backs its abandonment strategy.
 
Tinkers Marsh is a wetland site of international importance designated as an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), SPA (Special Protection Area) and a Ramsar Site one of only 1700 sites worldwide to carry this importance. It is home to many rare and protected species of birds and other flora and fauna.
 
Tinkers Marsh was flooded through multiple breaches following the tidal surge of 9th November 2007. Tidal surges occur when storm activity in the North Atlantic pushes more water into the North Sea causing abnormally high tides. Surges happen frequently but at differing magnitudes the November 2007 event was the highest for 14 years.
 
The Environment Agency is planning to implement an abandonment strategy over a large amount of the Blyth Estuary flood defences as part of a review of its responsibilities all along the coast. Despite not actually completing the consultation phase of this plan they made a unilateral decision to implement the policy and have steadfastly refused to repair the breaches that occurred as a result of the surge, necessitating the volunteer work.
 
Southwold and Walberswick are a town and village respectively that are divided by the river Blyth. The two communities represent a timeless tourist destination for many all year round. Whilst fishermen still ply their trade from the harbour, youngsters fish for crabs from the river and creeks even competing in the All England Crabbing Championships, an annual event in Walberswick. The honey pot of the two settlements provides income for hotels, B&Bs and campsites for many miles around. The only links between the two sides are the rowing boat ferry and the Bailey Bridge which provides pedestrian access between the two communities.
 
The access road to the Bailey Bridge; Palmers Lane was washed away during the surge and is currently undergoing reinstatement works by the Environment Agency. There is currently a degree of seepage through their repairs making it potentially unstable. This can be fixed by laying a clay seal on the upstream side of the defence. However this work cannot be completed whilst that area is under water. Hence the need to drain Tinkers Marsh.
 
The Walberswick SOS protest was a rally organised by residents of Walberswick to object to plans by the EA to abandon the sea defences around the village. It consisted of creating a large human SOS on the beach which provided a photographic spectacular that was well received by much of the media. The Walberswick SOS protest is independent of the BEG.