TODAY we're taking a break from the recent sunny weather to look back at a wet and wild Weymouth.

In response to our front page news that flood defence work to protect Weymouth seafront could begin as soon as next year, reader Royston Symes got in touch.

Protecting the town from flooding is estimated to cost around £100m, with works going on for around 30 years.

But now, Weymouth and Borough Council has put in a bid with the Local Enterprise Partnership for £27.3m.

The work would include raising the Esplanade around 30cm to the height of the flowerbeds.

Mr Symes disagrees with the plan and said that flooding of the area seems to be a rare event these days compared to earlier years.

Weymouth resident Mr Symes writes: "The front page photograph depicts a rare event these days, compared to earlier years as photographs show.

"Flooding is much less likely because of higher sand levels nowadays.

"The old photographs show a depth of around 10 feet (or more) from the promenade surface to the sand, with deep water at spring tides and often sea puddles at low ones, as seen in the photo from the 1930s of sailors walking along the Esplanade.

"We still experience rough weather with winds, anything from SSW to E creating large waves, but they are held back by the high level of beach material.

"So where's the point of spending £27m raising the promenade height!

"There must be other worthwhile projects that could improve Weymouth instead. I think I may be entitled to air my views on the matter - I was born here in 1921 (with due deference to the experts!)

So because we have such an interest in nostalgia within these pages, what better place to take a look at Mr Symes photos showing Weymouth seafront in the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s?

Mr Symes says that even with the current high tide, tide predictions are lower now than they were, with a maximum of 2.5m as against 2.6m and 2.7m at one time.

Research by the Environment Agency shows there is a ‘one in 200 year event’ including a possibility of a combination of tide, sea level rise and wind that could

flood a significant part of the town in and around Melcombe Regis.

The borough council has been working for some time to tackle the issue, and bid for funds to pay for the necessary work.

We've had a search through the Looking Back archives for some more recent examples of flooding and the only one we could come up with was this photo of flooding on the Esplanade from August 2011.

The Gents toilets had to be closed at the height of the tourist season because of the flooding.

In 2011 Weymouth had the wettest August for more than 13 years as rain battered the town and Dorchester endured its coldest summer in 23 years.

Almost twice the average amount of rain soaked the resort as August produced 90mm – 188 per cent – of the 30-year average of 47.9mm.

The Echo reported how water threatened to flood businesses along Weymouth Esplanade when downpours swept across the borough in mid-August.

And in December 2012 when flooding hit Weymouth roads both Weymouth harbour an alert was issued for the high tide period on Weymouth seafront.

*Do get in touch if you have pictures of flooding - going back to any year - along Weymouth seafront.

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