Instow community digs in to deal with sand issue

The community of Instow has come together over the past month to address the significant sand buildup on the seafront caused by severe winter storms. 

Sections of pavement were buried under sand, and blocked drains led to flooding along the coastline.

Locals, along with support from Devon Highways, the Royal Marines based in Instow, and local contractors, have worked to clear the sand. 

The efforts have focused on clearing sand banks along the sea wall that were blocking drainage systems.

A meeting of stakeholders in January, including Natural England, Instow Parish Council, and North Devon Biosphere, led to the creation of a coordinated approach to manage the situation.

The Instow Sand Action Group was formed to lead a community clean-up event. 

Volunteers, inspired by an article in The Parish News and a post on the Instow Community Facebook page, turned up on the first Saturday in March with shovels, wheelbarrows, and brooms.

Jacqui Poole, a coordinator of the group, said: “It’s been an amazing and heartwarming experience to witness the response of local residents to a request for volunteers to clear the pavements of sand. An article in The Parish News and the Facebook page resulted in around 30 offers of help. On the first Saturday in March, they showed up with shovels, brooms, and wheelbarrows. In two teams, they worked a miracle in just a couple of hours.”

Carolyn Maynard, another coordinator, added: “We hope this can become a regular event. It’s not only a practical achievement but also a way to build community spirit.”

Royal Marines staff from Arromanche Camp cleared sandbanks as part of a training exercise. 

They were joined by contractors from Hudson Marine and a tractor operator provided by local businessman Simon Goman. 

Civil servants Jeff Conibear and Jason Watkins from RM Instow drove JCB excavators, moving over 1,000 tonnes of sand over three days.

Major Congreve, Officer Commanding of 11 Squadron at RM Instow, said: “We’ve been conducting training on Instow Beach since the 1940s. We’re always happy to support the local community, especially when it also provides us with a training opportunity.”

Instow Parish Councillor Eliot Johnson thanked the community for their efforts: “I am thankful to everyone who took part in the actions over the last month. You should be proud of the dramatic improvement made to the beachfront. With some help from Mother Nature, we can begin moving into a beach management phase while we await the long-term strategy from Natural England and North Devon Biosphere.”