Severe weather also hampered coastguard efforts to reach boat at risk from high seas

Several beach huts were destroyed in yesterday’s gales at Seaton and there were fears a boat could also be destroyed.

Portland Coastguard centre received several 999 calls last night reporting a vessel being smashed up on the beach there.

Beer coastguard rescue officers attended but the weather was so severe they were unable to get it completely clear of danger. Later The Herald was told the boat, which is moored on the beach, had survived the storm in tact, although whether it suffered any damage is not yet known.

The high tide and huge seas had washed away a lot of the beach and several beach huts were smashed and washed away.