RESIDENTS in a Wirral coastal village are concerned that damage caused to the promenade in the storm surge of December 5 is still to be repaired.

Massive tides ripped apart sea defences and tore holes in the promenade at Meols .

Two months later, much of the damage has yet to be fixed.

One householder, who asked not to be named, said: “The council contractors have been trying to repair the promenade for weeks.

“They’ve put up all the usual plastic cones and metal barriers - but today (Saturday) at high water the cones and barriers either floated away or were left in the road.

“Tonight as usual there are no lights seaward side on the prom, which is littered with debris. I wonder how many claims there will be?

“We don't expect to see any council workmen out at midnight when the next lot will float away.”

Meols resident and West Kirby councillor David Elderton said: “This work seems to be progressing very slowly. It’s now fully two months after the event.

“There appear to be maintenance workers down there every day, but this job should be finished by now.”

However, Cllr Harry Smith, Wirral’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “The repairs to the sea walls at Meols Parade and South Parade/Riversdale Road are now completed.

“Since the initial storm damage in early December, we have had a series of high tides and bad weather events which have meant scheduling and re-scheduling of work to take this into account.

“Additionally, so that work is completed in the most cost effective, sustainable, and safe way possible, it has to be planned so that we don’t complete work, only to have to re-do it again.

“We would like to assure the public that we have been working to complete any repairs as soon as we can, and would like to apologise for any inconvenience in the interim.”

The December 5 surge wreaked havoc around Wirral coastal areas. Meols, Hoylake and West Kirby seafronts were all badly affected, but the worst damage was in New Brighton.

Flooding and dangerously high winds caused the resort's newly-developed Marine Point to be closed. A massive clean-up operation aided by an army of volunteers saw most businesses re-open two days later.