This is the shocking moment people had to be rescued from a cafe by a lifeboat crew after rising floodwaters trapped them.
Staff and customers at Tanskeys Bistro on South Parade in West Kirby, Wirral, saw water flooding the driveway and road outside today.
It comes after the Environment Agency warned people to “stay away from coastal paths, piers and promenades” as dangerously strong waves hit.
The Met Office also issued a yellow weather warning for strong winds, as massive flooding caused chaos and holidaymakers were evacuated from caravan parks.
A 1.1km sea wall was completed at West Kirby in September last year, at an estimated cost of £19.7million, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Flood waters rise around a parked car in New Brighton in Merseyside this afternoon
The RNLI monitors large waves crashing into the sea wall during a storm in New Brighton
Waves crash onto the sea wall during a storm in New Brighton
However, far from protecting waterfront properties along West Kirby, breaches in the wall are seen allowing access to the promenade allowing water to pass through.
The staff member who filmed the footage posted on X: “£20 million well spent @WIRRALGLOBENEWS @Wirral_Weather. »
Hannah Cleator, manager of Tanskeys Bistro, told the Echo: “Once again it echoes 2013 (when flooding caused significant damage), with the strong wind as well as the high tide.
“It’s the wind that’s causing the problem, but the problem this time is worse because of the £20 million flood protection wall which clearly hasn’t worked.”
After the River Arun burst its banks in West Sussex, 180 people were rescued from Medmerry Holiday Park in Earnley and one was taken to hospital with hypothermia.
A further 20 people were evacuated from nearby Bracklesham Caravan and Boat Club this morning, along with a further 15 people from homes in nearby Littlehampton.
Residents were “petrified” as they sandbagged properties around properties as the power was cut, with one spotting two toilet bowls floating in the road. Others claimed authorities failed to give adequate warning, saying: “People are really angry.”
A VW Golf caught by high tide coupled with a tidal wave caused by Storm Kathleen at Burnham Overy Staithe in Norfolk
The car was spotted almost completely submerged in water on the beach after the driver parked too close to the sea.
Floodwaters inundated a caravan park near Braclesham on the West Sussex coast today.
Flooding affects LNER trains between Newcastle and Berwick-upon-Tweed this afternoon
A tree is felled at Hatton Hill Park in Litherland, Merseyside, in strong winds today.
Hundreds of areas were under flood watch – with the Environment Agency imposing 216 alerts for ‘possible’ flooding and 105 warnings for ‘expected’ flooding in England.
Natural Resources Wales had 13 warnings and 24 alerts in place, while the Scottish Environment Protection Agency activated seven warnings and 14 alerts.
Beach huts were washed into the sea in Cornwall as well as in Hampshire, where residents of Alverstoke were evacuated and others in Langstone canoed through the streets.
And the flooding was having a major impact on rail transport, with disruption to various routes across the UK, including Cornwall, Hampshire, the Midlands and Wales.
Wind gusts reached 69 mph on the Isles of Scilly overnight, while Aberdaron in west Wales had 60 mph, Portland in Dorset 58 mph and Needles on the Isle of Wight 56 mph .
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