VIDEO: Skegness safe for now as first Spring tide brings no flooding

Emergency services were on the scene before 6am viewing the incoming waves crashing on the beach near the flood gate on Tower Esplanade.

Among them was Skegness flood warden, Coun Malcolm Gabbitas. He said: “There’s no danger at the moment - it hasn’t even come over the beach.

“There’s a good swell that’s all. If the weather stays as it is now - pretty calm - we should get away with tonight’s high tide but the next 10 to 12 hours should see what it is.

“If the wind picks up to a gale we could get our feet wet at the front here.”

Also there was deputy Mayor Coun Danny Brookes, who has an ice-cream kiosk near the flood gate. He said: “I’m here because of the bad memories of 2013. A number of kiosk owners have come down to make the place safe.”

In spite of advice to stay away, a few spectators braved the -2C temperatures to watch the high tide at 6.30am. Marguerite Coe, who lives near Burgh-le-Marsh had been taking her daughter to work and stopped by the flood gate. She said: “I remember the flood of 1953 which was very bad and so I thought I’d come and have a look. This is nothing though – I think we are going to be fine this time.”

Julie Parkes of Skegness said she could remember the flood of 2013. She said: “Three weeks earlier I had camping at Gibraltar Point and went home to Staines and got flooded there.

“This tide isn’t going to flood us - it’s nice having some warning but I think what the Environment Agency and the emergency services have been doing has been a waste of money.”

Seven severe flood warnings remain in place along the East Coast, which is bracing itself for a storm surge expected to be brought on by gale-force winds and the high tide at 6.45pm.

Soldiers from 2 Yorks who went door-knocking to warn residents of the flood threat remain on standby.