THE unseasonal wet weather caused a spectacular breach of the pebble ridge at Bossington for the second time this year.

Porlock residents Maureen Harvey and James Adlington sent us the dramatic photographs on the far right of the aftermath of the latest deluge, while Scott Shepard took the one from the Bristol Channel as he headed out for a day's fishing with boatowner Arthur Talbot.

The volume of water cascading into Horner Water was just too much for the ridge and at mid-morning on Sunday April 29 the water burst through.

"You can imagine the build up of flood water that was backing up through Bossington, Allerford and Horner," said Maureen.

"It would have been horrendous if it were not for all the pressure that must have been put on the pebble ridge for the swollen Horner Water to break through.

"I've been told that the person who heard it go just couldn't believe the thunderous noise of it all."

Usually, Horner Water simply flows into a large pond known as the Avon Pool before gradually seeping through the ridge and out into the sea.

But with so much additional rainwater seeping into local streams and rivers, the pool could not cope and the force of the water smashed through the pebbles in a surge to the sea beyond.

In January, heavy rain and high tides also caused a breach and the phenomenon is well documented by Porlock historian Dennis Corner.

In his 1992 book Porlock in Those Days he wrote: "On some occasions when there is a very high river after continuous heavy rain, the amount of water is so great that the pond fills up and the water floods back in a huge lake towards Bossington.

"The pressure builds up until eventually the water pushes the stones away and with a mighty rush makes its outlet to the sea, forming a channel through the ridge, often 20 or so feet deep.

"The outlet fills up again as high tides bring in pebbles once more."

Maureen said Dennis could remember older Porlock residents remarking that "the Devil's gone to sea again" after a breach.

"I had to speak to Dennis to see how this one compared to a breach in the olden days and he said the breach would always go through the ridge from the pond, not in a sweeping bend as it is now," Maureen said.