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Rest Bay tank traps unearthed by storms

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Media caption,

Remains of anti-tank devices at Porthcawl have been exposed by storms

World War Two tank traps and giant metal chains have been uncovered by the recent storms on a popular south Wales beach, prompting safety concerns.

They were installed at Rest Bay in Porthcawl in case of a German beach landing but have now been exposed.

Some local residents and surfers say they are dangerous and have even begun removing the chains.

Bridgend council says it will send workers to the scene on Monday after dealing with storm damage elsewhere.

Simon Tucker took photos of the remains of about a dozen traps and posted them on social media website Facebook to warn surfers and other beach users.

"The council came down and cut them back quite a few years ago but they are exposed now more than ever," he said.

"They've been visible since the first storm back in January. It surprises me that nothing's been done about it. They are so dangerous."

By 1940 there was real concern that Britain might be invaded by the German army.

Image source, Simon Tucker
Image caption,

Chains have been uncovered on the beach at Rest Bay by January's storms along with WW2 tank traps

Anti-tank devices were installed on many of the beaches around the coastline to stop invading tanks from advancing off the beach and inland.

Local Porthcawl historian Keith Morgan, who remembers the tank defences from when he was a child, said they were still visible until 1946 or 1947 when he would have been around 12 years old.

"They were old railway lines and they were embedded upright in the beach," he said.

"They would have been around six or seven feet above the level of the beach.

"I can remember them stretching from Swansea Bay all the way round to Porthcawl.

"They were then cut down at some point after the war but even then, I remember going swimming in Swansea Bay and catching my toe on them - it could be pretty painful."

A Bridgend council spokesperson said highways workers would take a digger on to the beach on Monday to remove the metal.

Crews and machinery had been deployed elsewhere to tackle storm damage and the council had also been waiting for the sand on the beach to settle.

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