Broadland flood warnings - 5pm update

Pike anglers fishing the tidal rivers and broads of Norfolk and Suffolk are being urged to take extreme care on Friday and over the weekend, after the Environment Agency issued Severe Flood Warnings for much of the East Coast.

High winds and a low pressure system are expected to create a tidal surge which could see localised flooding from Wells-next-Sea in North Norfolk to Essex and the Thames Estuary.

The most severe flooding is expected around Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and parts of the Broads.

If the forecast surge materialises, rivers could rise higher than normal on Friday's flood tide - which is expected to peak around 7 - 8am. As the tide turns and ebbs later in the morning, rivers could be subject to heavier flows than normal.

Flood watch warnings are tonight in place on the rivers Yare, Waveney, Ant, Bure and Thurne, along with parts of the Fens including the tidal Ouse.

The Environment Agency said the expected storm surge building in the North Sea was just 30cm (around a foot...) lower than that which caused the floods of 1953 - Britain's greatest natural disaster, which killed more than 300.

EA Flood Watch

BBC report

1953 floods - special report