Spotlight on Broads flood plan

Parts of the Norfolk Broads could be lost to the sea

Norfolk Broads residents are meeting to hear about plans which could include abandoning villages to the sea.

The flooding option is one of four ideas being researched to help save parts of the county from sea level rise and coastal erosion.

The villages of Eccles, Sea Palling, Horsey, Waxham, Hickling and Potter Heigham could be flooded if the sea is allowed to penetrate coastal defences.

It is part of research put forward by Natural England.

The government advisers are considering four options.

'Fight now'

They include improving existing defences, modifying the sea defences, doing nothing, or allowing the sea to flood low-lying areas.

A public meeting is being held on Tuesday evening at St Mary's Church in Hickling to discuss the research.

Organiser Malcolm Kerby, from the Norfolk Coastal Concern Action Group said: "I am trying to raise peoples' awareness; there is no better time to fight this than now."

Norfolk County Council has already stated its opposition to the flooding idea.

Councillor Ian Monson said: "I can assure the people of Norfolk that the council has no intention of supporting any proposals that would see large areas of the Norfolk Broads and its villages given up to the sea. "

Other meetings have been called at Potter Heigham Village Hall on 9 April and Sea Palling village hall on 15 April.