Troops evacuate thousands amid fears of severe flooding

Hundreds of soldiers are helping evacuate thousands of people from their homes as Britain's coast prepares for the possibility of severe flooding.

Seventeen severe flood warnings - meaning danger to life - have been issued for the east coast.

There are fears giant waves could crash over coastal defences in areas including Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

Residents in Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire have also been warned to stay away from coastal areas.

One hundred soldiers from the Catterick Army base have been deployed to Skegness, Lincolnshire, the Ministry of Defence said.

The Environment Agency (EA) has issued 83 flood warnings and 69 flood alerts as gale-force winds wreak havoc.

It is expected the east coast will be hit by the storm surge during the second high tide.

:: All the latest as extreme weather hits the UK

Evacuations are under way in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk and Jaywick, Mistley and Mersea in Essex.

Residents in 1,800 properties in East Suffolk are also being told to leave their homes.

Rest centres have been set up for residents in areas affected by the flooding.

The risk of flooding in Great Yarmouth is expected to peak at 9.30pm, Norfolk Police said.

Rescue workers will visit more than 5,000 properties in the coastal town ahead of a storm surge at high tide.

Superintendent Dave Buckley said: "Military resources - around 200 troops - are en route.

"They will start arriving shortly to assist with the evacuation process."

In Suffolk there is potential for severe flooding from 9.30pm, with Lowestoft and Waveney expected to be the worst hit, police said.

The EA has moved more than five miles (8km) of temporary barriers and 25 pumps to depots and towns along the east coast.

Mark Sitton-Kent, from the EA, said: "The combination of gale-force winds, high tides, dangerous waves carrying rocks and a coastal surge means parts of the east coast are extremely dangerous.

"We have issued severe flood warnings and urge everyone to check their flood risk and ensure they are in a safe place."

Three schools in Norfolk and nine schools in Lincolnshire, including five in Skegness, were closed for the day.

The flooding threat comes as Britain is battered by wintry conditions, with severe Met Office weather warnings for ice in place.

Temperatures plummeted to minus 2C (28.4F) in parts of the East and South East during the early hours of Friday.

Scotland and the North of England were covered with a blanket of snow.

Conditions are expected to turn milder and become more settled over the weekend.

The Environment Agency's severe flood warnings cover 17 areas:

:: Aldeburgh and Thorpeness

:: Blythburgh and marshes upstream of A12

:: East bank of the River Yare at Great Yarmouth from South Denes to South Quay

:: East banks of the Rivers Yare and Bure at Great Yarmouth including North Quay, Newtown and Bure Park

:: Lowestoft Seafront and Docks

:: North Bank of Lake Lothing

:: Oulton Broad near Mutford Lock

:: Riverside Business Park and Kirkley

:: Rivers Yare and Bure from Runham Vauxhall to Scare Gap including Vauxhall Holiday Park.

:: Snape, Iken and surrounding marshland

:: South Bank of Lake Lothing, Bourne Business Park to Mutford Lock

:: Southwold and surrounding marshes

:: The coast from Clacton to Lee Wick

:: Tidal River Stour at Mistley, including the Quay and The Walls

:: West bank of the River Yare at Great Yarmouth from Gorleston to Ferry Hill

:: West Bank of the River Yare at Great Yarmouth including Southtown and Cobholm

:: West Mersea, The Strood and adjacent marshland