Pictures and Video: Storm Ellen brings big waves to Westward Ho!

Storm Ellen brought big waves and high winds to Westward Ho! on Thursday night and Friday morning (August 20 and 21).

Gusts of up to 60mph and high tides meant there was plenty of sea spray for those looking on at the seafront.

The village was one of the coastal communities issued with a flood alert on Thursday afternoon, as the Environment Agency warned of possible floods around high tide.

Sea defences to the east of the slipway were damaged once again as they bore the brunt of the waves.

With heavy gusts expected throughout Friday, the RNLI and Coastguard have issued a joint warning for people to take care at the beach.

Steve Instance, RNLI water safety lead for the south west said: “When we experience conditions such as this, especially during the summer when the region is busy with visitors, it is incredibly important that those heading to the coast keep themselves safe by choosing a lifeguarded beach and visiting within the patrol hours of 10am-6pm.

“With changeover days for holidaymakers on Fridays and Saturdays, those arriving to the area may not be up to date with local news and forecasts so could be caught unaware of the conditions.

“RNLI lifeguards are there to offer advice so if you are unsure about anything, make sure you ask a lifeguard. They will be able to provide information on tide times and guide you to the safest area to swim which will be between the red and yellow flags.

“Anyone surfing should know their limits and always stay within the black and white flagged area.”

A yellow weather warning remains in place until 6pm on Friday evening.

The warning said winds are expected to gradually ease during late afternoon and into the evening.