A clifftop home in Thorpeness is being demolished after erosion "increased significantly" earlier this year.

Work to knock down the Red House, in North End Avenue, began earlier this week.

The home is understood to have been built in the 1920s. It was then known as Trafford House.

Maureen Jones, chairwoman of Aldringham-cum-Thorpe Parish Council which includes Thorpeness, said the property was now a second home.

A spokeswoman for Coastal Partnership East, which manages the coastline from North Norfolk to Felixstowe, said: “In 2021, the area at most risk was to the cliffs in front of 22 North End Avenue. It was critical that this erosion did not increase here as it would have been detrimental to the community’s longer-term plans. In October 2021 urgent works in the form of granite rock were put in place.

“The erosion to the cliffs in front of the Red House increased significantly in the early part of 2022. Large areas of cliff were lost, leaving the north end of the property at significant risk. The critical point (angle of elevation) had been reached by early spring. By this time, any interventions at the toe of the cliff would not have made a difference to whether the property was safe for occupation.

“The Red House is not the first property to be demolished in Suffolk. Properties in Easton Bavents and most recently in Pakefield have also required demolition.

"The Norfolk and Suffolk coast are some of the fastest-eroding coasts in north-western Europe. The cliffs are soft and sandy making them very vulnerable to erosion by the sea. Since 2018 the Norfolk and Suffolk coast has seen an increase in the rate of erosion. This has impacted upon a number of areas such as Hemsby, Pakefield and Thorpeness.

“Coastal Partnership East are working with the worst affected communities and other government agencies to explore what options are available now and to create new options for communities as our coast faces increasing challenges from a changing climate.

“Since 2016 Coastal Partnership East have been working closely with the community in Thorpeness to develop options to reduce the risk of coastal erosion. This is predominately at the north end of the village, which has seen increased erosion since 2018. A rock revetment is the option preferred by the community and this is moving toward detailed design.”