SEVERE flood warnings saw homes evacuated across the north-east Essex coast.

Thousands of residents were visited by police and firefighters offering advice and warnings to leave their homes as it was feared their lives were at risk from a tidal surge.

But thankfully the potentially fatal combination of high tides and bad weather did not combine to see the sea defences breached.

Hundreds chose to leave their property with more than 100 seeking refuge at Tendring Enterprise Centre in Clacton on Thursday night and 240 on Friday.

However, no-one went to the centre in Mersea and across the three most threatened areas - Jaywick, Mersea and Mistley - thousands defiantly decided to take their chances and stay in their homes.

In addition to the three danger to life flood warnings, the Environment Agency issued several other warnings with immediate action required.

Although the feared flooding did not materialise, Essex Police and Environment Agency representatives said they could not sit back when lives were at risk.

Essex Police Deputy Chief Constable Matthew Horne, who oversaw the multi-agency operation, said: “I am absolutely clear the collective decision to evacuate residents in Jaywick and to provide a rest centre in West Mersea for people should it be required was the right thing to do.

“This decision was based on science and the expert advice from the Environment Agency and the Met Office.”

Speaking after the second high tide had passed he added: “This will have been exactly what our counterparts along the east coast of the country will have been doing in order to come to similar decisions.

“We prepared for the worst case scenario and we would be happy to take the same decision again should we be faced with the same advice as we have had over the last 36 hours.”

Environment Agency duty manager Claire Beecroft explained the reasons for the warnings.

She said: “The recent weather has been combination of a gale force winds, high tides, dangerous waves and a coastal surge.

“The forecast indicated a genuine danger to life, and we issued a severe flood warning so the public can take action to protect themselves and their property.”

Flood warnings, but no longer those at the highest level, remained in place into Saturday.

Staff from Tendring Council and Essex County Council helped elderly, frail and vulnerable residents who had stayed at the rest centre in Clacton to return to their homes.

Mr Horne said: “I would like to thank residents for their co-operation and pay tribute to every single person who assisted with the evacuation effort.

“This was a significant task and it is only because of the professionalism and commitment of every person that we were able to protect those most at risk.”