'It's a disaster' - fire engulfs five Wrabness beach huts

The fire took hold at around 10pm on Sunday evening, engulfing the huts which sit on private land off Stone Lane, Wrabness.

The foreshore is owned by Balhaven Ltd, a company formed by beach hut owners to purchase the land from a farmer in 1986.

The first huts appeared on the foreshore in 1921.

Diana Randall, spokesman for Balhaven and a fifth generation beach hut owner, said: “Yesterday evening there was a fire at the east end of the foreshore.

“Five huts were completely destroyed by the fire, and two more were damaged.

“Four fire engines attended.”

Witnesses reported the beach and surrounding area was busy with visitors in the day preceding the fire.

“This is a private beach and access to the beach has been temporarily suspended for health and safety reasons,” said Diana.

“There is police tape blocking the track.

“We have to have hazardous materials cleared, the whole site is full of nails and burned out bits of wood with nails sticking out.

“The affected area stretches on for about 100 metres.

“This is a large stretch from the track at the top and it is dangerous to walk here.

“There is a part of the beach where a public footpath runs alongside, but it is only a metre and a half wide.

“It has been extremely busy on the beach, but not because of the owners of the huts, who have not been here."

The firm said it is too early to speculate on the wider cost and impact of the blaze on beach hut owners, many of whom have enjoyed their huts for generations.

"The huts have been passed down through families," said Diana.

“It is more than a shame, it is a disaster.

“It is going to take an extreme amount of time and heartache to fix this.

“An investigation is ongoing by the police and fire service, and we await the outcome.

“This is a private beach and there is no access at all at the moment, it is unsafe to visit this area as there are dangerous, hazardous materials.

“To say we are devastated is an understatement.”