Weather: Thousands Evacuated Amid Tidal Surge

Coastal communities have been warned of "exceptionally high tides" to come, as Britain is hit by the most serious tidal surge for more than 60 years.

In some places along the east coast, sea levels have been higher than they were during the devastating floods of 1953.

Speaking after a meeting of the Government's emergency Cobra committee, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said flood defences had protected more than 800,000 homes.

But he warned: "This is not over. There will still be exceptionally high tides ... and I would urge everyone to pay very close attention to advice from the Environment Agency, and also to follow instructions from the emergency services."

Firefighters pause for a cup of tea after pumping water from people's homes

In Boston, Lincolnshire, residents told Sky's Gerard Tubb they had seen water "cascading" down the street as sea defences gave way.

Sam Seaton said she was "devastated" to find her home had been so badly damaged she will be unable to spend Christmas there this year.

"I lifted my new sofas up off the floor before I left but they are still wet at the bottom, so the water must have come up to a foot or two high," she said.

A man wades along a flooded street in Lowestoft, Suffolk

The Environment Agency has more than 129 flood warnings and alerts in place across England and Wales, including 23 severe flood warnings which are issued only when flooding poses a "significant threat to life".

Further high tides bring a renewed risk of flooding in areas already inundated with water.

Sea levels peaked at mid to late morning in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, and are expected  to rise along the Kent coast this afternoon.

A postman struggles to complete his round in Lowestoft

Thousands of homes in coastal areas, including 9,000 in Norfolk alone, have been evacuated after officials warned that lives could be at risk.

Hundreds of people were forced to spend the night camped out in emergency rest centres.

Sky's Alex Rossi in Hemsby, Norfolk, said: "Lots of bungalows here were evacuated because emergency services were concerned the flood water would inundate the area.

People fill sandbags to protect against the high tide in Great Yarmouth

"The area seems to have escaped quite lightly but not all properties have fared so well. One property has been washed away."

Sea defences built since the 1953 floods, which killed hundreds of people, appeared to have held back the tide in many areas.

However, a Defra spokesman said some defences had been breached by the combination of high tides, strong winds and a large tidal surge.

Waves crash onto a beach in Hemsby, Norfolk

In Rhyl, north Wales, firefighters spent the night going from street to street, trying to pump water out of people's homes.

Sky's Becky Johnson, at the scene, said: "Many residents thought their homes were protected by the sea defences and simply weren't expecting to be flooded.

"Lots of elderly people had to be rescued by lifeboats and they were really quite distressed by what was happening."

The North Sea surge followed an Atlantic storm which brought severe gales of up to 80mph across Scotland and northern parts of England.

Some mountainous regions in Aberdeenshire and Inverness-shire reported speeds of around 140mph.

One man died after he was struck by a falling tree in a park in Retford in Nottinghamshire, while a lorry driver was killed when his HGV toppled onto a number of cars in West Lothian.

Many homes in this street in Boston, Lincolnshire, were flooded

The adverse weather also caused chaos on the transport network, with rail services for Scotland and parts of the North of England suspended and number of flights disrupted.

:: Watch the latest live coverage from around the country on Sky 501, Virgin Media 602, Freesat 202, Freeview 82, Skynews.com and Sky News for iPad.

Water floods over the promenade in Scarborough, North Yorkshire

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