It might have been the hottest weekend of the year, but Southwold Beach in Suffolk was empty on Sunday, after Waveney DC reportedly closed it on health and safety grounds. According to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, sunbathers were thrown off the beach because of a £7m coastal-defence scheme to replace old groynes, which has not yet been finished. Ironwork from the old groynes had not yet been cleared from below the water and posed a danger to swimmers. Police were eventually called to the beach after some people refused to leave because they could not see any evidence of the dangers from the ironwork. The council was unavailable for comment.
