High tide causes Torcross sea wall collapse and Devon road closure Published duration 12 February 2016

image caption Devon County Council shut the road at about 08:00 as a precautionary measure

High tide has caused a wall to collapse into the sea and a road to be closed in Devon.

The sea wall in Torcross came down following high tide, which was at about 08:25 GMT.

Devon County Council had shut the A379 at about 08:00 as a precaution. It has to wait for the tide to go down before the damage can be assessed.

David Hornblower, from Devon County Council, said the closure will remain in place for the day "at a minimum".

image copyright Jack Gillespie image caption The sea wall collapsed in Torcross, Devon following high tide

The council was alerted to the weakened wall at 08:30, and by 09:00 it had collapsed.

Mr Hornblower said: "The sea wall has partially collapsed so there's a risk to the highway above it. No-one is at risk."

He said "excavators" were on the way to "shore up that section of the road".

image copyright Jack Gillespie image caption Workmen assessed the road in Torcross, Devon, after the sea wall collapsed

South Hams District Council spent £250,000 of emergency flood funding in January 2014 in a bid to protect sea defences in the area, but holes appeared behind the wall earlier this month , the Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette reported.

A spokesperson from South Hams District Council, which is responsible for the sea defence, said: "We are aware that the sea wall protecting the highway has failed this morning at the northern end of Torcross."

Diversions are being put in place.

image copyright Jack Gillespie image caption Holes in the sea wall widened before it collapsed