I am glad I am not the only one who is concerned about the build up of water behind Chesil Beach.

I was fishing down there on a rainy night some weeks ago and in the four hours that I was down there, the water level rose by an alarming five feet.

I calculated that if the water continued to rise the houses by the Ferrybridge Inn would have been flooded in hours.

I contacted Portland Coastguard to warn them but received quite a terse and disinterested response.

I remained there for another couple of hours in case I was needed to sound the alarm but fortunately the water subsided and when I visited the next morning to check, the water levels were a lot, lot lower.

This seems to be a very regular occurrence and has sometimes happened even without heavy rain, so I fear the flood defence systems are not working.

James Young, Millspring Friar, Waddon Road, Weymouth