Current flood defences are not high enough to cope with sea level rises at the Cuckmere Estuary in East Sussex and each year the agency spends tens of thousands of pounds removing shingle from the mouth of the river.

Now it has decided to allow the sea to reclaim the popular landmark in a move that will see the valley return to the tidal floodplain it was back in the 1840s.

Campaigners said they are pressing for a more managed approach and that allowing the area to flood would harm wildlife, footpaths and parts of the local beach.

But the Environment Agency said that climate change, sea level rises and past interference by man have put the Cuckmere Estuary under increasing pressure.

Read the full story on the Telegraph website