Dozens of illegally parked vehicles had to be moved from a beach to allow vital sea defence work to take place.

A total of 24 caravans and vehicles were asked to leave Normans Bay beach, near Bexhill, last  October so that Rother District Council and other authorities were able to protect nearby homes from seasonal storms.

While most left the beach voluntarily, some had to be issued with fixed penalty notices.

The Argus: Works on the beach this autumnWorks on the beach this autumn (Image: Rother District Council)

The district council said the number of people parking illegally and camping on the beach at Herbrand Walk, some for weeks at a time, has increased.

Now, the council, alongside Sussex Police, East Sussex County Council parking enforcement and the Environment Agency among others, are working together to find “long term solutions” to prevent trespass on the beach.

Much of the beach at Herbrand Walk is in private ownership and these landowners have a responsibility to prevent trespass on their land.

District councillor Jimmy Stanger said: “It was good to see all the agencies working together to resolve this urgent problem in October and we are grateful to East Sussex County Councilllor Nuala Geary for her involvement but this took considerable resources.

“We need to find practical solutions to stop this happening next year.”