Image copyright FocusBug Image caption The waves battered Cromer's Victorian pier, forcing its closure

Clean-up operations have started in east coast towns and villages battered by Friday's high winds and tides.

Thousands of people evacuated due to flood warnings in Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex have also started to return home.

Properties in Hornsea, East Yorkshire, suffered "significant flooding" and three people had to be rescued from a sinking car trapped on the seafront.

The storm also destroyed beach huts and damaged the town's 116-year-old pier in Cromer, Norfolk.

'No overreaction'

More than 5,000 homes were evacuated in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, while in Suffolk, 1,800 residents were told to leave.

People in Jaywick, Mistley and West Mesea in Essex, have started to return home after being asked to go to rest centres ahead of the high tide.

Alison McGuire, a Jaywick resident who decided to stay put, said: "I did not think it would come over - I thought to myself, 'What is all the fuss about?'"

Image copyright Margaret Terry Image caption Storm weather hit Hornsea's seafront on Friday evening

Image caption A number of businesses have been damaged in Hornsea

In Hornsea a number of people had to be moved from buildings due to "significant flooding", the East Riding of Yorkshire Council said.

Water topped promenade defences in Marine Drive and a grandmother and two children were rescued moments before their vehicle, trapped on the seafront, sank.

"[The grandmother] drove down the seafront and didn't think it was as deep as it was. It was maybe 4ft to 5ft [1.2-1.5m] deep.

"We got the children out of the car first and then the lady - three minutes later the car had sunk," said Karl Shannon of Hornsea Inshore Lifeboat.

Image caption A grandmother and two children were rescued from a car which then sank

Cromer's Victorian pier is expected to remain closed until Monday while the damage is assessed.

Richard Leeds, of the Cromer branch of the RNLI, said it "could have been worse".

"We've got off lightly compared to what happened during the storm in 2013," he added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Stormy seas battered Cromer Pier

About 12 of the town's beach huts were destroyed and a section of the promenade ripped-up but the sea walls are said to be undamaged.

A number of coastal roads in North Yorkshire were closed and the local council asked people to stay away from Whitby harbour after waves broke over the sea wall.

North Yorkshire Fire Service dealt with flooding in nearby Sandsend and issued a warning asking people not to view the high tides.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Waves broke over the sea wall in Whitby during Friday's tidal surge

Image caption An amusement arcade and fish and chip shop in Hornsea were among those flooded

Residents and rescue services waited for the expected storm surge to coincide with higher than expected tides and gale-force winds, which were predicted to breach costal defences.

But the Environment Agency said things were not as bad as predicted because the combination of elements "didn't coincide in all areas, and did not reach the most dangerous levels possible along the east coast".

Emergency services have defended the measures taken and said it was not an overreaction.

The Met Office has predicted a calmer period of weather but warned of ice in the west of England and in Norfolk.