Wells-next-the-Sea is a Town in Norfolk where I was born and
although I do not live there now I did at the time of the flood.
Wednesday the 11th January 1978 was a night that many people do not want to relive,
it was the worst disaster since the Flood of 1953.
The sea defence bank was breached under the
weight of the storm water creating a 100 metre wide gap as can be seen below.
The size of the breach in the sea defences. The Life Boat House can be seen
in the distance (centre)
A trawler 'Strandline', battling her way
into port alongside the sea defence, which is a mile from the lifeboat house to the quay,
was carried through the breach and
by light of day she was found to be resting on the football field.
'Strandline' on the Football field
The tidewater was
still lapping over the harbour wall the next day after having washed the boats onto the
quayside car park the night before.
The quayside car park
had become a boat park overnight - the boats were even straddling the low wall into the
road.
Boatpark!
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The drowned beach road
The beach road, miniature railway line, football field, pitch and putt green and
beach caravan site were drowned by the inrushing water through the breached defences
Quayside shop
The shops and buildings along the quayside sandbagged their doorways against the
storm water which had spilled over the quay and was rushing along the road.
The drowned and broken Football Pavillion
seen on the right
As the tide receded,
the 125 ton coaster 'Function' was left sitting high and dry on the quay.
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