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Recent storms have scoured away metres of sand on the beach at Dawlish Warren.

The sand was pumped on to the beach two years ago as part of a £14 million flood defence scheme, which raised parts of the beach by up to three metres.

Underpinning the work was a 450-metre long “geotube – a sturdy plastic tube filled with sand, which formed the actual sea defence, to protect the vulnerable main railway line and thousands of homes.

(Image: Karen Richards)

"The new “sandbag” defence was buried deep under the dunes at the narrowest point of the warren, the Neck.

Enough sand to fill 100 Olympic swimming pools was pumped on to the beach in what Defra, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, yesterday insisted was purely a cosmetic exercise.

But recently, much of that sand had been stripped away, damaging structures on the shore above, and exposing about 20 metres of the geotube.

(Image: Karen Richards)

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: “The Dawlish Warren flood defence scheme has not failed. The geotube is in fit condition and continues to reduce flood risk to the area and the wider estuary.

“About 20 metres of the 450 metre-long geotube has become exposed. However, the loss of sand does not affect the defence.

“The structure was covered with sand to blend it into the landscape. The sand did not provide additional benefit to the defence of the area. The feasibility of future recharging the beach will be reviewed.”

A Defra spokeswoman said: “Eventually we will replace the sand, but it’s not an emergency.”