Gales and Tides

Thursday was a horrendous day on The Wirral.  Gale force winds created a tidal surge that left a swathe of destruction across Wirral’s coastal towns today. Such was the power of the sea at noon that sections of railings and feet-thick concrete tide-breaks were ripped apart and the debris scattered across the promenade at Hoylake and Meols, forcing roads to be closed.  There was similar damage at West Kirby seafront, which was closed to traffic as flood water raced across the promenade taking several parked cars in its wake and smashing them against walls opposite the marine lake.  Six of the staff at Tanskey's restaurant on West Kirby promenade became trapped inside and the lifeboat was sent out to check they were OK.  One of the staff said “The cast iron benches outside, which are concreted into the ground, are floating past and a Volvo estate floated past earlier.”

The photos of the tidal damage are from the Wirral Globe.

 

The whole of the shopping mall at New Brighton was flooded.  This was the view of Morrisons from the Lifeboat Station on the opposite side of the ‘road’.

Residents at a new build flat block in Birkenhead, Merseyside, were forced to flee their homes after the roof was blown off.  A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: "The flat roof of a new build residential block was blown into the road, onto cars and into trees causing a large amount of damage.

The Morrisons store at the seaside resort's Marine Point retail park was forced to close amid widespread chaos.  Its delivery bay was submerged under three feet of water, trapping a truck in its tracks, and the ground floor of the store was flooded.  The flagship Morrisons store, is part of a new multi-million pound complex, which also boasts a Grosvenor Casino, a cinema and a Travelodge.  People staying at the Travelodge were trapped inside as the hotel was flooded and police cordoned off all roads leading to the seaside resort. Cars were left stranded after their owners couldn't get to them and there were even reports of a car being washed down the high street.  

Our conservatory began to creak and leak (in new places) and Partner-who-loves-tea and I went out for lunch to get away from it and to celebrate the end of her fast – she had a dental appointment first thing in the morning followed by routine fasting blood tests so a decent lunch was well-deserved.  We treated ourselves to poached salmon (PWLT) and roast beef and Yorkshire pudding (me) at the Seven Stars in Thornton Hough. 

From there we went to Hooton and as we wound through the lanes we were overtaken by a police car with its blues and twos going.  A few corners later we found out why.  A tree was down across the road.  It’s a good job we stayed on at the Seven Stars for PWLT to have some sticky toffee pudding or we might have been under that tree.

Photos from my mobile phone.