based in town claimed he was 'surprised' to see such damage caused by one high tide


A popular Cornish beach has been stripped of all its sand by a freak high tide, leaving nothing but rocks covered in seaweed and algae.

But just hours later, the change in tide deposited the golden sands back in their place.

Porthleven, a holiday spot famed for its stretches of beach, was left with exposed rocks after the unusual ride swept away sand overnight.

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The scene at Porthleven beach after a high tide washed away virtually all the sand overnight on Wednesday 14 January

Much of the sand has disappeared from the beach which sits below the quaint seaside town, with locals describing the exposed rock as the worst they had seen in living memory.

But while the sand was stripped away overnight on Wednesday January 14, it has already been deposited back in place.

Porthleven is described as an 'unspoilt Cornish fishing harbour' in tourism promotions, and has just welcomed a new restaurant from celebrity chef Rick Stein.

Photos from the scene show promenade steps that run down into the lush sand suddenly led to a sharp drop onto rocks.

Oceanographer Alan Jorgensen, from Porthleven said he has never seen the level of sand so low in all his years in the village.

He said: 'I am sure it will come back in time but I've never seen it like this before. It was a bit of a surprise to be honest.'

The dramatic before and after photos show just how bad the erosion was, with sands completely washed away by tides

Locals head back onto the beach at Porthleven, where the sand has been washed back by the tide - just hours after it was washed away

The dramatic changes were reportedly caused by a high tide, as well recent bad weather which has hit the Cornish coast

Karen Wall, 42, from Porthleven, said: 'I've seen it fluctuate, but just going by my mother's wisdom - she's been past that beach every day for 74 years - she's never seen it as bare.'

Promoting the Cornish town as a tourist destination, Porthleven is described as having two miles of sandy beaches, as well as a 'picture book location' in tourism materials.

Experts calculated that nearly a million tonnes of sand were lost off British beaches last year, with popular beaches in Newquay, Bude and Perranporth also left bare.

Estimations were that the sand - which was left languishing offshore in mountainous sandbanks and bars - would take years to return.

High tide at Porthleven on January 15 shows the coastline battered by waves which resulted in sand being swept from the beach

The Cornish coast has been battered by high winds and waves as bad weather hit the UK in recent weeks

The seaside town is a favourite spot with holidaymakers and Rick Stein has just taken over a restaurant on the harbour

Locals said they had not seen the beach with so little sand in many years following the 'freak' high tide last Wednesday

Porthleven, in particular, suffered when wild Atlantic storms battered the Cornish coast a year ago, with huge waves sweeping away sands and closing roads.

The RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) describes Porthleven as: 'A small, mainly shingle beach in a bay backed by cliffs. Home to the Porthleven Reef break.'

It advises: 'Only experienced surfers should use this break.'

An RNLI spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The beach is an ever changing environment and we’ve seen a lot of sand movement in recent years as a result of the weather.

'The continual changing topography of beaches can present new hazards so people should always be mindful of this if they’re visiting the coast and take extra care.’

The seaside town of Porthleven is almost unrecognisable compared to the recent images after the sand was swept away by high tides

Porthleven beach is becoming a fashionable destination for summer, with Rick Stein also opening a restaurant in the area

Already a popular destination in Cornwall, Porthleven is set to become a even more a hotpot with a slew of new restaurant openings in the next year.

In November last year, Rick Stein took over the harbourside Clay Quay restaurant, his first eatery outside of Padstow.

Malcolm Bell, head of Visit Cornwall, said: 'Porthleven is certainly on the hotlist for 2015. Boasting a beautiful coastline, an enviable foodie offering; especially with the recent opening of Rick Stein’s new restaurant; and an impressive harbour, the town oozes Cornish charm and tradition.