Flood experts visit was wall worth it

VIPs including High Sheriff of Essex Mr Michael Clark, Castle Point’s new mayor Coun Vera Elworthy and leading flood experts toured Canvey’s sea defences.

The party saw the Fobbing Horse and East Haven flood barriers, main­tenance work on the wall near the Lobster Smack and visited an exhibi­tion on Canvey’s flooding and water drainage problems. The visitors also saw the island’s emergency access road as Coun Ray Howard, one of two Canvey represen­tatives on the National Rivers Author­ity flood defence committee, helped show them round. Coun Howard said the tour, which came about through the High Sheriffs interest in Canvey sea defences, had been worthwhile. He said: “It made clear to the public that we have the defences of Canvey very much in mind.”

The visit preceded a £2.1 million improvement scheme for Canvey’s sea wall. Strengthening the wall base begins next year and is due for completion in 1995.