0:00:18 > 0:00:21This is Mudeford Banks in Dorset.
0:00:21 > 0:00:28In 2004, hut number five back there sold for a staggering £140,000.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31But it's a great location, the sea right on your doorstep.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34Maybe it's a price worth paying.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41The South West coast of Dorset and Devon is the home of holidaying.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45But more and more people are no longer just visiting the coast,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48they're buying their own little slice of it.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52We want to find out what makes this remarkable stretch of coastline
0:00:52 > 0:00:54such a desirable place to live.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02At one time or another most of us have built a seaside property.
0:01:02 > 0:01:10Alice Roberts uncovers the secret to constructing the perfect sand castle.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Mark Horton discovers how one of the South coast's
0:01:13 > 0:01:16most important commuter links is at risk from the sea.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24Nick Crane meets a man who's had to wait 40 years to rebuild his family home.
0:01:24 > 0:01:30It really will be very emotional. Hmm.
0:01:31 > 0:01:37While Dick Strawbridge learns why the villagers of Slapton Sands were forced to abandon their homes.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41And I get to visit an icon of coastal construction that
0:01:41 > 0:01:45revolutionised the way lighthouses were built around the world.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Welcome to the Property Coast.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17This journey takes us from Bournemouth
0:02:17 > 0:02:21along the dramatic Jurassic coast of Dorset and Devon to Plymouth.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Bournemouth's roots as a holiday destination stretch back to the early 19th century,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33when the enchanting aroma of its pine trees and unspoilt sea air
0:02:33 > 0:02:36attracted wealthy city folk to spend their summers here.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43By the 1880s, Bournemouth had become a property hotspot
0:02:43 > 0:02:47with the population increasing fourfold in just 20 years.
0:02:49 > 0:02:54But its reputation for high living was soon to be dwarfed by one of its neighbours.
0:02:54 > 0:02:59I'm on my way to visit one of the most expensive places to live in the whole world.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The peninsular of Sandbanks forms one side
0:03:05 > 0:03:07of the entrance to Poole harbour.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12100 years ago, this stretch of coastline was little
0:03:12 > 0:03:17more than a shanty town, but there's not a tin shack in sight today.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22In 2002, Sandbanks or 'Moneybanks' as some of the locals have started to call it,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26was declared the fourth most expensive place to live on the planet
0:03:26 > 0:03:29after London, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34From up here you can catch glimpses of some of the incredible mansions that have sprung up
0:03:34 > 0:03:38all over Sandbanks, and every single one of them costs a small fortune.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47But how on earth did this unknown bit of headland get to be so exclusive?
0:03:49 > 0:03:56One man who played a large part in creating worldwide interest in Sandbanks is entrepreneur Tom Doyle.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06In 2002, Tom sold a four-bedroomed apartment in this building for £1 million,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09which at a staggering £695 per square foot
0:04:09 > 0:04:14shot Sandbanks into the global premier league of property.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17But if a sea view apartment costs £1 million,
0:04:17 > 0:04:19then what's a house going to cost me?
0:04:19 > 0:04:23You are going to need £5 or £6 million, an absolute minimum,
0:04:23 > 0:04:24because the chances are
0:04:24 > 0:04:27it's worth more as a piece of land than as a house,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30because someone would want to knock it down and put a new house up.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34So it's all about the property itself and not the house?
0:04:34 > 0:04:37It's the land. There's two building blocks there.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39That's £11 million.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43It's a little bit rich for my blood!
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Well, go this side of the road, it's a lot cheaper.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49So if it's £5 million on the waterfront, what is it here?
0:04:49 > 0:04:53- It could be... £600,000.- Good grief!
0:04:53 > 0:04:58What's the most expensive house that's up for sale in Sandbanks today?
0:04:58 > 0:05:00£10 million.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03- Would you like to go and have a look at it?- Oh, yes.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09In my wildest dreams I couldn't afford a house like this, but for a wee while
0:05:09 > 0:05:13I can pretend I've got a few million pounds burning a hole in my pocket.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19- Right Neil, this is it.- Right.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23So this is what a £10 million house looks like in Sandbanks.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Yes.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Yes, yes, I imagine it is.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Nearly every room in this house has a view of the sea...
0:05:34 > 0:05:36even the bathroom.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Oh... Yeah! Now that's a kitchen, isn't it?
0:05:44 > 0:05:46It's a kitchen and three-quarters.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47Yeah. Triple Aga.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51It's got to be the biggest island unit you're ever going to see.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Yeah. I've had kitchens smaller than that granite slab!
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- In my younger days I sold flats smaller than this!- Yeah.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02The whole place is just dominated by the view, isn't it?
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- Yeah, well this is what you're paying for.- Yeah.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Gosh, you have your own jetty. - Two jetties.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Two jetties... of course you'd need two.
0:06:12 > 0:06:17What would this house be worth if it wasn't on Sandbanks?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19- Half the price.- Right.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And with probably more land.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28But who'd want more land when you can wake up to 10,000 acres
0:06:28 > 0:06:31of stunning harbour at the bottom of your garden?
0:06:31 > 0:06:33This looks pretty sophisticated.
0:06:33 > 0:06:39- It's all on electronic ramps, so you can actually pull up and open the gates and...- Right.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43It's an electronic garage door for the sea.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Absolutely, yeah.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47This is what a house like this is really about, isn't it?
0:06:47 > 0:06:51It's access to all of... that.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55It's a different kind of life, isn't it? It's a different world.
0:06:55 > 0:07:02It's a beautiful place and there are people out there prepared to pay the money for this location.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Do you want it?- Do I want it?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Nah...
0:07:10 > 0:07:12What, you've only got one boat?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Yeah!
0:07:14 > 0:07:18I can think of other things to do with £10 million is the truth of it.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20The people who live along this shore
0:07:20 > 0:07:23have the second largest natural harbour in the world as their
0:07:23 > 0:07:27playground, but they haven't got it all to themselves.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Sharing it are the thrill seekers...
0:07:31 > 0:07:33the ferries and cargo ships...
0:07:35 > 0:07:38..and those who just want to have fun on the water.
0:07:40 > 0:07:47The mammoth task of co-ordinating so much traffic falls to Poole Harbour Commissioner Peter Burt.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50To be right at the centre of such a
0:07:50 > 0:07:55property phenomenon, it's a remarkably peaceful, quiet place.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57That's really the secret of the harbour.
0:07:57 > 0:08:03What you've seen in the property world there behind us is a very, very
0:08:03 > 0:08:06small part of what really goes on.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10What we have here is the start of the 100 miles
0:08:10 > 0:08:13of coastline inside the entrance.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15- 100 miles?- 100 miles.
0:08:15 > 0:08:21It appears to be deep and there are indeed deep channels but we only have
0:08:21 > 0:08:24a roughly two metre rise and fall in the tide
0:08:24 > 0:08:29and the water is just circulating without moving very far.
0:08:29 > 0:08:34- Right.- And because if all this huge basin it absorbs the water in through
0:08:34 > 0:08:37all the deep-water channels and then fills some of the shallows.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39How shallow is it?
0:08:39 > 0:08:44A good idea would be for you to find out really rather directly.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48This doesn't seem right. This is in the middle of a harbour. I can see ferries...
0:08:48 > 0:08:51Yes, a ferry going up there.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56That's not right, surely!
0:08:56 > 0:08:58This is a harbour!
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We're three-quarters of a mile from land and you're able to walk about.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Well, it's a strange harbour you've got here, Peter.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09- It is a curious harbour.- It's a strange one.- It's all part of the fascination.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11It's not Poole harbour, it's Poole puddle!
0:09:14 > 0:09:19Poole's shallow harbour means the huge ferries have to negotiate
0:09:19 > 0:09:21specially dredged channels.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25But the sheer scale of the harbour leaves plenty of room for everybody.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Poole might be one of the finest harbours in Britain,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37but why pay £10 million for a house on Sandbanks...
0:09:37 > 0:09:43when a £4.50 bus ticket lets you take in the delights of Studland beach over there?
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Much of the sand that makes up the three-mile stretch of Studland beach
0:09:56 > 0:09:59was washed down the coast from Sandbanks and Bournemouth.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Suddenly the beach runs out and the cliffs take over.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07And what cliffs!
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Old Harry Rocks marks the start of the Jurassic coast,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15a magnet for sightseers and ramblers,
0:10:15 > 0:10:19but some parts of this craggy coastline also appeal
0:10:19 > 0:10:22to those seeking something a little more adventurous.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27My name's Mike Weeks, I am a rock climber and I deep water solo.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32Deep water soloing at its simplest is just climbing rope free with no
0:10:32 > 0:10:35hindrance from equipment above the sea and the sea is your safety net.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40It's just you, the rock, nature, fighting against gravity and if gravity wins,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42obviously you're just going to go for a swim.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49This particular stretch of coastline here is one of the best
0:10:49 > 0:10:51deep water soloing venues in Britain.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55The rock here lends itself to quite an overhanging nature,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58so if you fall you're not going to hit anything on the way down.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Also, the sea is very deep here.
0:11:02 > 0:11:07There's never a time when I'm pushing myself on the rock
0:11:07 > 0:11:12when I'm not at least a little bit scared and if I didn't actually feel fear I probably wouldn't do it.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Equally as important as being able to climb is being able to fall.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19People on their first few attempts will often fall so
0:11:19 > 0:11:21badly, with arms out, legs spread,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and I've seen people get salt water enemas from landing badly
0:11:24 > 0:11:28and having water forced into places they would rather not have them.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31For the people who actually want to try it, they have to learn how
0:11:31 > 0:11:35to climb properly first with ropes and with safety equipment.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41It's just such a real buzz, the feeling and the satisfaction of
0:11:41 > 0:11:47what you've just overcome is just so immense and usually you actually just turn around and jump in to celebrate.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01The awe-inspiring Jurassic coast is one of the best places in the world
0:12:01 > 0:12:06to see 250 million years of the earth's geological history laid bare.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10And nowhere is this more apparent
0:12:10 > 0:12:16than at the perfectly formed shell-shaped inlet of Lulworth Cove.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And just when you think nothing can match its beauty,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30take a short walk around the corner
0:12:30 > 0:12:33and you're face to face with another of nature's wonders...
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Durdle Door.
0:12:53 > 0:12:59It's no surprise these areas of natural beauty are protected from development.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03But if it's building plots you're looking for,
0:13:03 > 0:13:08there are thousands of places along the coast where properties are built and demolished every day.
0:13:09 > 0:13:16Alice Roberts is in Weymouth to uncover the secret of building the perfect sand castle.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Look on any sandy beach on a sunny day, and you can guarantee
0:13:20 > 0:13:24that there will be dozens of aspiring architects at work.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26As with any other property
0:13:26 > 0:13:28the key to its success is its location.
0:13:28 > 0:13:33Many resorts would have you believe that their sand is the best for building sand castles.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38So along our journey we've chosen three great holiday spots to put that to the test.
0:13:38 > 0:13:44Here in Weymouth, then Lyme Regis and finally Torquay.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48With the help of Professor Matthew Bennett of Bournemouth University,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52we're going to put the sand from each resort through a series of experiments
0:13:52 > 0:13:57to reveal which beach has the best chance of making the ultimate sand castle.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02What's the most important thing to look for when you're looking for the perfect sand to make a sand castle?
0:14:02 > 0:14:07OK, I think it's probably water, because the water, the right mix of sand and water,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10is the thing that's gonna make it stand up or fall down.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12So kind of stick the sand together.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Right, so it's this property of cohesion is the posh word
0:14:15 > 0:14:19for that stickiness of the water, because it binds the grains together.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Now by lots of experimentation we reckon that the best
0:14:23 > 0:14:28ratio of water to sand is eight parts sand to one part water.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- So you've sat there in your lab... - That's right!
0:14:31 > 0:14:36- ..mixing different ratios of sand and water and you've come up with the ideal...- Ratio, that's right.
0:14:36 > 0:14:42First we're going to mix up a sample of the Weymouth sand using Matthews's eight to one formula.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Then test it using this strange looking contraption
0:14:46 > 0:14:48called a cone penetrometer.
0:14:48 > 0:14:53What it does is it drops this little cone with a known weight into the pot
0:14:53 > 0:14:56and the further it drops in the weaker it is.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00We've put just dry sand in there, focusing now on the cone.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04- We press the button and it falls a long way in.- Yes.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- So now we're going to try with our...- Magic mix.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09..eight parts sand, one part water.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13Just keep it there and you can press the button...
0:15:13 > 0:15:15That didn't go anywhere near as far.
0:15:15 > 0:15:20- Just about 130 mm compared with over 200 for the dry sand.- That's right.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23This is a scientific way of doing it, but if you're wanting to build
0:15:23 > 0:15:27sand castles on the beach you need to know where to look.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31- Do you think you can actually spot this consistency on the beach then? - Yeah.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So where shall we start?
0:15:34 > 0:15:35Try down with the water first of all.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40We'll just demonstrate that if you get it too wet...
0:15:42 > 0:15:43You know, it's too wet.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45It's not going to work.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47There's too much water in it.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49I could have told you that!
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Try somewhere in the middle. Just a little bit further I think.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55- Yeah.- Try and make a sand castle here and see what happens.
0:15:55 > 0:16:00This is feeling a lot more like your eight to one mix.
0:16:00 > 0:16:01OK.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- That's fantastic.- The key thing is the smoothness of the sides.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11It's lovely and smooth.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15- Just right there.- Now if I hadn't met you and I didn't know about
0:16:15 > 0:16:19the science of sand, I'd have gone much closer to the sea and got some wetter stuff.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22The temptation is to be near the sea, cos you get the water in
0:16:22 > 0:16:26the moat, but you want to be a bit further and bring your water in.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30So the first thing we've learnt about building sand castles is that
0:16:30 > 0:16:34the ratio of eight parts sand to one part water is absolutely crucial.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38We've got our perfect formula and we've tested the sand at Weymouth.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42Now we're off to Lyme Regis and Torquay in our quest to find
0:16:42 > 0:16:44the perfect sand castle sand.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Around the corner from Weymouth is a completely different kind of beach...
0:16:57 > 0:16:59Chesil Beach.
0:16:59 > 0:17:05At 17 miles tip to toe, it's the longest shingle beach in Britain.
0:17:05 > 0:17:11This is one of those places that makes you feel like a puny human in the face of nature.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16The shingle bank is constantly on the move.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20The waves and currents sort the pebbles according to their size.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25The largest end up near Portland and the smallest at the Western end.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Nestling up to the end of Chesil Beach
0:17:31 > 0:17:34is the pretty resort of Lyme Regis.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38But there's sometimes a price to pay for a sea view.
0:17:38 > 0:17:44Here the power of the waves threatens the town's very existence, as Nick Crane is discovering.
0:17:45 > 0:17:52Lyme Regis's most famous landmark is the striking harbour wall known as the Cobb.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55It inspired writers like Jane Austen and was the setting for the classic
0:17:55 > 0:17:58opening scene of The French Lieutenant's Woman.
0:17:58 > 0:18:04But this wall has a far more important practical function.
0:18:04 > 0:18:09For the last 700 years it's stopped the sea from literally sweeping Lyme Regis away.
0:18:11 > 0:18:17The town sits on top of one of the most unstable stretches of coastline in the country.
0:18:17 > 0:18:24The sea and the insecure ground underneath the town conspire to create huge landslides.
0:18:24 > 0:18:30The residents of Lyme Regis are well aware of the town's fragile foundations.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Over the centuries many buildings have been lost to land slides,
0:18:33 > 0:18:38including the family home of Harry May back in 1962.
0:18:38 > 0:18:44- And what was this from here? - This was down two steps and into the dining room.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48- All meals here.- Yeah. There's not much left of it now?
0:18:48 > 0:18:50- No, there isn't. - What did it look like then?
0:18:50 > 0:18:52I have a picture of it here.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- Which is your house?- This one here.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Good heavens. It's absolutely beautiful, isn't it? With a balcony.
0:18:58 > 0:18:59Yes.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03Huge pagoda-style roof, looking over the bay and the Cobb.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05So what happened to your beautiful house?
0:19:05 > 0:19:10On February the 18th 1962, I came back from school
0:19:10 > 0:19:15and the whole house was creaking and groaning and wood was splitting.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19I left and went to the pictures. And when I came back, Cobb Road was shut,
0:19:19 > 0:19:25the fire brigade at the top of the hill and our place moved five inches and that was enough to destroy it.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27The building stayed upright, but in a terrible mess.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30So where did you live? You'd got no home.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31Where did your parents take you?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35We couldn't move from this place.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39We have 180 degrees of sea view. It's the most spectacular place to live.
0:19:39 > 0:19:46My parents put up a mobile home in the back garden here and then a caravan and so it went from there.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Gradually built things up again.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51How long have you been living in temporary accommodation yourself?
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Since 1962, always on this site.
0:19:55 > 0:19:56That's over 40 years!
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Yes, yes.
0:19:58 > 0:20:00Yes. It is.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06For 44 years, Harry has dreamed of rebuilding his house,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09but the land is simply too unstable.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16What is it that causes so many landslips in this area?
0:20:16 > 0:20:20Some answers, it seems, can be found at nearby Charmouth Beach.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23I'm meeting earth scientist Richard Edmonds
0:20:23 > 0:20:27who's been studying this coastline's subterranean secrets.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31This is the Black Ven landslide, the largest coastal landslide in Europe.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It happened in 1958-1959.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- This great tongue of vegetation reaching out into the channel.- Yes.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42What is it that Lyme Regis, is at such risk, Richard?
0:20:42 > 0:20:44It's built on this stuff. Its Lower Jurassic clay.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50It dates back from about 195 million years ago and it's very soft.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55Even worse is that the hilltops are capped with a sandstone. The sandstone is porous.
0:20:55 > 0:21:01The rainwater can soak down through it, but once it reaches these dark clays, it ponds up at the junction
0:21:01 > 0:21:05between the two rock types, lubricates the clay surface and
0:21:05 > 0:21:09great big chunks of clifftop break off and slide down the cliff face.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11Once it gets into the soft mud,
0:21:11 > 0:21:15there are a whole series of terraces made by these hard bands of stone.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17It works just like a giant penny falls.
0:21:17 > 0:21:22The sandstone comes down the back, shunts everything forward over one terrace, the next terrace,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24until it arrives on the beach.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27These rocks are quite solid once they're in under the ground.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30It's here the sea is working away all the time.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33If the sea wasn't here, the land would reach a stable angle.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36The sea's always taking it away, so more is always coming down.
0:21:36 > 0:21:42So, it's a combination of the sea eroding and a peculiar local geology that has threatened Lyme.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44That's right, yes.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51It wasn't until the late 1990s, that technology became available
0:21:51 > 0:21:54to offer Lyme Regis some long-term security.
0:21:54 > 0:22:01The town is now in the middle of a £24 million defence scheme - the first of its kind in the world.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05There are two elements. There's this massive new beach
0:22:05 > 0:22:11and then there's work in the actual hill behind the sea wall, which is prone to landslides to stabilise it.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14There are 75,000 tonnes of gravel that have been put onto this beach.
0:22:14 > 0:22:20It's really aiming to absorb the wave energy, so the waves, rather than smash against the sea wall,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22the wave energy'll be focussed onto the beach.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27There's a second really important element which is it's adding weight to the tow
0:22:27 > 0:22:33of the landslides behind here, so the landslides are being propped up by this massive weight of shingle.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40We're onto the building site now. This is all part of an ancient landslide.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44There are a whole series of slip plains running through this slope.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47What's happening is the engineers have drilled down
0:22:47 > 0:22:51through the split plains and piled them with steel and concrete piles.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55They've also added huge amounts of drainage to take the water away.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57How long will this last for?
0:22:57 > 0:23:02The design life is 50-60 years, so only time will tell.
0:23:02 > 0:23:0540 years after Harry May saw his house collapse,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07the land has been stabilised.
0:23:07 > 0:23:13Harry is now close to realising his dream of finally rebuilding his family home.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17What do you think you'll feel when you walk through the front door for the first time?
0:23:17 > 0:23:22Oh... Wonderful!
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Mmm, wonderful. Really will be.
0:23:26 > 0:23:32Very emotional. Mmm. Very. Yeah.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45The shingle shipped into help tackle the landslide problem
0:23:45 > 0:23:49is not the only material imported into Lyme Regis.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54The golden beach that adorns the sea front is not quite what it seems.
0:23:54 > 0:24:01Over the last few months, 30,000 tonnes of sand have been shipped in from a quarry in Normandy.
0:24:01 > 0:24:07But how will the French sand stand up to the English stuff in Alice's battle of the sand castles?
0:24:13 > 0:24:19Lyme Regis Council put a lot of effort into researching different types of sand for their new beach.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22They believe they've found the perfect complement to their sea front,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25but is it any good for sand castles?
0:24:25 > 0:24:27A bit of French sand.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30We'll examine the quality of the French sand grains
0:24:30 > 0:24:33to see how it compares to the Weymouth sand we tested earlier.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37The first thing that's obvious is that the Weymouth sand is much more homogenous.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41- That's right.- It's similar grains throughout, very fine.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45I'll just compare it now with the French sand here at Lyme Regis.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48It's got a range of sizes - quite angular.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52This helps the French sand bind together a little bit more.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54All the different shapes interlock.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Think of a crowd of people.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01- If they've got all their arms sticking out, it's like the spikes on the grains.- Yep.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05They lock together with their neighbours and it's strong cos it's locking together.
0:25:05 > 0:25:10If they had no spikes on the grains, they're all in like this, they can move past one another.
0:25:10 > 0:25:16To make a great sand castle, the ability of dry grains of sand locked together is really important.
0:25:16 > 0:25:21One way of testing this is by measuring the angle of internal friction -
0:25:21 > 0:25:23the higher the angle, the better.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27We need to compare this with the results from the test at Weymouth.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29- That's it. - We need to use this protractor.
0:25:29 > 0:25:34If you just move it carefully down, line it up on the pile of sand,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37that will give us the angle of internal friction
0:25:37 > 0:25:40or the angle or repose and it's 33 degrees.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44That's not as good as Weymouth. At Weymouth, it was steeper, it was 40 degrees.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47That's interesting.
0:25:47 > 0:25:52I think that's probably because Weymouth sand is so much finer, it's helping it stand up more,
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Which is interesting cos I thought angular grains would've locked it together.
0:25:56 > 0:26:01- There are lots of factors at play. - Until you do the experiments, you don't know what the results are.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06The science points to Weymouth sand having the edge, but what do the people
0:26:06 > 0:26:10whose opinion really counts think about the new look Lyme Regis sand?
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- It's quite grainy, it's quite sharp. - It holds together well.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Does it?
0:26:14 > 0:26:19You can see you've got nice smooth sides to your sand castles there.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23- Any hot tips then for building sand castles?- Pour water over it.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- Pour water over it?- Yeah, first, so it gets quite sticky.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31So, you've added to the mix. You haven't just used the natural
0:26:31 > 0:26:36- stuff, you've added a little bit of water as you go along?- Yeah, so it keeps it stronger.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40Add a bit to the base as well, makes it solid to stick the castles on.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44- Right, so you've got to have solid foundations.- Absolutely.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46So, two beaches down,
0:26:46 > 0:26:51just Torquay left, where we'll test all our sand castles to destruction.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03Lyme Regis marks the end of our journey along the Dorset coastline
0:27:03 > 0:27:08as the white Jurassic rocks give way to the distinctive red Triassic cliffs of Devon.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14The quaint, unspoilt town of Sidmouth
0:27:14 > 0:27:16has retained its old world charm
0:27:16 > 0:27:20by carefully regulating property development on its sea front.
0:27:20 > 0:27:25Many of the regency houses are home to growing numbers of people retiring in the town.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29More than half the population are over retirement age.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33But for some of Sidmouth's older residents, it's not just a question
0:27:33 > 0:27:38of retiring to the coast, they've spent their whole lives working on it.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43Tucked behind the town but still within sight of the sea
0:27:43 > 0:27:46is the home of the largest donkey sanctuary in the world.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53Donkeys from all over Britain come to spend their twilight years being pampered.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58Their welfare's in the capable hands of Annie Hamer.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Where do donkeys originally come from?
0:28:01 > 0:28:06Originally from Asia and Africa. They came over into Europe
0:28:06 > 0:28:09on the Silk Route, transporting goods.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13- They were the pack animals.- How many donkeys have you got on this farm?
0:28:13 > 0:28:17- On this farm, nearly 400. - That's amazing. It's quite surreal.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19I've never seen so many donkeys in one place.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22It's nice they can still see the sea.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24- Yes.- If a lot of these are retired beach donkeys.
0:28:24 > 0:28:30Yes, we've got 100 donkeys have retired from the beaches and come into the donkey sanctuary.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35At the moment, there's nearly 900 donkeys working on beaches in Britain.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39What do you think about donkey rides? Are you happy about the idea or is it cruel?
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Some of the healthiest working donkeys are the ones working on the beach,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46cos the sand is really good for their feet.
0:28:46 > 0:28:52It's equivalent to their natural environment, where they were originated from, on the desert.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57The sand works like a natural emery board and helps to keep their feet in a nice shape.
0:28:57 > 0:29:02When a donkey comes here, does it stay here for the rest of its natural life?
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Yeah, we never turn a donkey away.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10Usually they come to us in their late twenties or early thirties
0:29:10 > 0:29:14and then some of the donkeys we've got are in their early fifties.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16They can live another 20 years after that.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Gosh!
0:29:18 > 0:29:22- A little donkey paradise. - Definitely.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34Around six million of the UK population live within one kilometre of the coast.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38But not every coastal property is made of bricks and mortar,
0:29:38 > 0:29:42just as popular are homes of a more mobile nature.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Some of the best views of this coastline are found
0:29:47 > 0:29:54on this magnificent stretch of The Great Western Railway as it slinks along the seafront towards Dawlish.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00Today, only a handful of coastal railways are left in Britain.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05This one flirts a little too dangerously with the sea at times.
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Now its existence is under real threat.
0:30:09 > 0:30:14Mark Horton is exploring the troubled life of this historic railway.
0:30:15 > 0:30:21The train line that connects Exeter to Plymouth is a vital commuter lifeline,
0:30:21 > 0:30:27but for a few weekends a year, there's a chance to experience the majestic views in style.
0:30:40 > 0:30:44A smoky rise, the smell of the steam.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48This must be one of the most glorious railways journeys in the world.
0:30:48 > 0:30:54It was the first glimpse holidaymakers have of the sea as they go to the West Country.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57This wonderful view of the south coast.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01The genius behind this route was Isambard Kingdom Brunel
0:31:01 > 0:31:07who, in 1843, was commissioned to build an extension to the Great Western Railway,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10down along the South Devon coast to Plymouth.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18On the face of it, this is a ridiculous place to build a railway line.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21Even on a calm day like today,
0:31:21 > 0:31:26passing trains are at risk of a soaking from waves, crashing onto the sea wall.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29So, what made Brunel build his line here?
0:31:29 > 0:31:34To find out, I'm meeting railway historian Peter Kay.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38It's impossible to have a direct route because of the range of hills.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42He had to choose between either coming right along the coast
0:31:42 > 0:31:46as he did or having a route right behind Dawlish and Tynmouth through very long tunnels.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Surely, to build a railway here was an incredibly risky operation.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54The storms would have come in and smashed over his railway.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57I think the local people tried to point that out to him.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00There were several petitions to Parliament
0:32:00 > 0:32:04and the Exeter Corporation said the line would be a danger
0:32:04 > 0:32:08to Her Majesty's subjects, because of the risk from sudden storms.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Brunel was convinced there would be no problems caused
0:32:12 > 0:32:17by the sea to his railway, because he was such a confident engineer.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Brunel's original route was several yards further out.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26He wanted to go round this headland on the outside without a tunnel here.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28Of course, had the line been built further out,
0:32:28 > 0:32:33it would have been even more exposed to the ravages of the sea.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Fortunately, he was opposed by the local people who did not want to lose their beach.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39This was the gentlemen's bathing beach
0:32:39 > 0:32:43and would have been lost entirely had Brunel got his original route.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45So, he had to build a system of tunnels through the cliffs.
0:32:45 > 0:32:51Yes, there was only one tunnel intended originally and he ended up with five.
0:32:51 > 0:32:52It wasn't just the tunnels.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57We seem to have this huge sea wall for about four miles, from one headland to the other.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01That was quite a substantial construction job.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05The stone came from Torbay by ship, was landed on the beaches.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09This is a period of the great heroic era of Victorian engineering,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13in which they thought they could go anywhere.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16One of Brunel's famous quotes was, "Nothing is impossible for an engineer."
0:33:16 > 0:33:22But Brunel's engineering bravado didn't always guarantee success.
0:33:22 > 0:33:28When the line opened in 1847, Brunel had taken the bold decision
0:33:28 > 0:33:32to use a new means of propulsion called the "atmospheric system".
0:33:32 > 0:33:37Huge pumping houses like this one at Starcross were constructed to create
0:33:37 > 0:33:43a vacuum in a pipe laid between the rails which sucked the trains along.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48Although the system worked, it was too expensive to maintain
0:33:48 > 0:33:53so steam locomotives took over after just 12 months.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56So, how has the railway fared since Brunel's time?
0:33:56 > 0:33:59Well, I'm afraid the pessimists were quickly proved right.
0:33:59 > 0:34:04This section we're walking on now was rebuilt totally in the 1860s.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08The real ongoing problem was that the sea wall often got undermined by the weight.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11So, it's not just the storm smashing against the wall,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14but the continual erosion at the base that's the problem.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16The base of the wall is the normal problem.
0:34:16 > 0:34:21The bedrock underneath the foundations is very poor stuff.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26The waves break it up and suck out the infill behind,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29make a hole in the bottom of the wall and then the line collapses.
0:34:29 > 0:34:33Now we've got global warming and sea level rises,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36are we going to lose the line for good in the next 50 years?
0:34:36 > 0:34:39Well, who knows?
0:34:39 > 0:34:40Who knows indeed?!
0:34:40 > 0:34:43When Brunel built this line, he insisted that it would be
0:34:43 > 0:34:49no more expensive to maintain than any other stretch of railway.
0:34:49 > 0:34:55£9 million has been spent since 2004 trying to shore up the line,
0:34:55 > 0:35:00prompting calls for a replacement to be built inland.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05But such a line could never compete with the amazing coastal scenery
0:35:05 > 0:35:10that makes this one of Britain's most stunning railway journeys.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Many of the towns along this coast might never have developed into
0:35:19 > 0:35:23the flourishing seaside resorts they are today without Brunel's railway.
0:35:25 > 0:35:31One of its biggest benefactors was the town which calls itself The English Rivera - Torquay.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37Most of the beautiful white villas and terraces overlooking Torbay
0:35:37 > 0:35:39date back to Victorian times,
0:35:39 > 0:35:41when the gentry flocked to Torquay
0:35:41 > 0:35:44to enjoy its remarkably mild climate.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47It's also the birthplace of Agatha Christie.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50The very modern Miss Marple, Alice Roberts,
0:35:50 > 0:35:54is still on the trail of the Secret of the Perfect Sand Castle.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58- It's a completely different colour sand here.- That's the red Triassic sandstone.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02'Torquay recently boasted that it had the best sand castle sand in Britain.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07'It's a claim we're going to put to the test in the final stage of our sand castle quest.
0:36:07 > 0:36:12'After putting Torquay's sand through the same experiments as Lyme Regis and Weymouth,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15'we have discovered that Torquay and Weymouth are
0:36:15 > 0:36:18'neck and neck in terms of grain size and the angle of internal friction,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20'but Lyme Regis is not far behind.
0:36:20 > 0:36:27'To find a winner, we need to commence the final experiment - the strength test.'
0:36:27 > 0:36:32- A bit more sand in there I think. - 'Using samples from all our test beaches, we're making three
0:36:32 > 0:36:39'perfect sand castle mixtures using Matthew's magic eight parts sand to one part water formula.'
0:36:39 > 0:36:44Weymouth was the finest of our sands. It's had a high angle of internal friction.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47It's got lots of fine grains in there. Make a good sand castle.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52Right, come on Weymouth! Ah!
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- That is a good one.- That is perfect.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59'Weymouth's fine grains makes it Matthew's favourite to win.
0:36:59 > 0:37:04'Lyme Regis looks good, but I don't know, I really like the texture of Torquay.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06'It's the one I'm putting my money on.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10'Now for the ultimate battle of strength.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14'We're using measured amounts of water to increase the weight on top of our sand castles.
0:37:14 > 0:37:20'Which one will crumble first? The last castle standing will be the winner.'
0:37:20 > 0:37:21They're all doing ever so well.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24This is amazing!
0:37:24 > 0:37:26It's the perfect mix.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28This is the third kilo.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34There's definitely a crack there.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36This is going to be the fourth kilo.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Yes!
0:37:41 > 0:37:45- I told you.- Lyme Regis, look at that!
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'The French and Lyme Regis have been knocked out already.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'With only my Torquay and Matthew's Weymouth sand castles left,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54'it's down to a straight shootout between the two of us.'
0:37:54 > 0:37:59- Mmmm... Aaaaah!- Yes! - SHE LAUGHS
0:37:59 > 0:38:01- Torquay!- Yeah.
0:38:01 > 0:38:07Let's see how many more Torquay can take.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10- Wow!- Seven kilos!
0:38:15 > 0:38:17- Whay!- Yes!
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Eight kilos. Torquay is the out and out winner.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22It took eight kilos.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Eight kilos. Well, I was wrong.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28It doesn't matter what beach you're on as long as you get the ratio right.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30That's right, you can have fun with a bucket and spade.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- You can build a good sand castle. - That's right.- What a mess!
0:38:54 > 0:38:58Standing over Torbay is Berry Head.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02Today, it's a national nature reserve, but 200 years ago,
0:39:02 > 0:39:06it was used to defend British Naval ships from potential French attack.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12Remnants from past hostilities are a reminder that Britain's coast
0:39:12 > 0:39:17has always been our first line of defence against potential invaders.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25During the Second World War,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29people all over Britain were evacuated and displaced.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30But around Slapton Sands,
0:39:30 > 0:39:34entire communities were suddenly forced to leave their homes.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37Unearthing the full story of these mass evictions
0:39:37 > 0:39:41has taken over 50 years as Dick Strawbridge is finding out.
0:39:41 > 0:39:47By 1943 the civilian population of Britain were well accustomed to sacrifice.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50The inhabitants around Slapton Sands were about
0:39:50 > 0:39:55to pay the price for living near this stretch of coastline.
0:39:55 > 0:40:01In November 1943, the tranquil atmosphere of villages surrounding Slapton Sands was shattered.
0:40:01 > 0:40:053,000 residents received official notification that their homes
0:40:05 > 0:40:08were to be requisitioned for 'military purposes'.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11They were given just six weeks to pack up and move out.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14There were no exceptions.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19John Hannaford was only 17 at the time.
0:40:19 > 0:40:24His family have owned and run the local butchers near Slapton Sands for four generations.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27He can remember that before the evacuation announcement
0:40:27 > 0:40:30there was a feeling something strange was going on.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Well there were these odd rumours going around...
0:40:34 > 0:40:37but when you're a teenager it's over your head.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39You don't think about these things,
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- it's never going to happen to you! - Yeah.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46Then they got more serious, that they were going to commandeer this area
0:40:46 > 0:40:51and people weren't very happy, it was such a big upheaval for them.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53You see, an awful lot of them,
0:40:53 > 0:40:57I suppose they'd never been away from their home, you know?
0:40:57 > 0:41:02- It was a situation, there was a war on.- Yeah.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05That was the back of everybody's mind, you know? There was a war on.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07You had to do these things.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Everybody living in an area covering 46 square miles,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14and including 180 farms, had to leave their properties
0:41:14 > 0:41:17taking whatever they could manage,
0:41:17 > 0:41:20not knowing when, if ever, they would be able to return.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Did you actually know what was going to happen here?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Did you have a feeling for what was happening?
0:41:26 > 0:41:33Well of course you had an idea what was going on, we knew it was a battle training area.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35We knew what it was going to be.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41You prepared yourself for the worst.
0:41:43 > 0:41:48Would it be here when you came back or would it be here for you to come back to?
0:41:48 > 0:41:53What kind of battle training could possibly justify evacuating such an enormous area?
0:41:55 > 0:41:58What the residents didn't know was that for months the military
0:41:58 > 0:42:02had been planning the most important offensive of the Second World War,
0:42:02 > 0:42:04the landing on the beaches of Normandy
0:42:04 > 0:42:08to begin the long awaited liberation of Europe.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10D-Day.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12If the allied forces were to be successful,
0:42:12 > 0:42:16it was crucial they found somewhere suitable to practise.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21The allies had spent a long time planning for D-Day.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24One of the main beaches to be assaulted was Utah.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26At Utah you've got the sea,
0:42:26 > 0:42:30you've got the beach, and dunes with the coastal road on it and inland of that,
0:42:30 > 0:42:34in the hinterland, the Germans had flooded that area as an obstacle
0:42:34 > 0:42:38which meant that the infantry in vehicles would have a real problem.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40If I turn this around,
0:42:40 > 0:42:42we've got the sea, we've got sand,
0:42:42 > 0:42:48we've got dunes, a coastal road and inland here we've got Slapton Lee
0:42:48 > 0:42:54which is a flooded marshy area which would allow people to train in exactly the same conditions.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57The War Office had found the perfect spot.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00All they had to do now was turn into a little bit of Normandy.
0:43:03 > 0:43:08By Christmas 1943, the last of the residents had left their homes.
0:43:11 > 0:43:12With the streets deserted,
0:43:12 > 0:43:16the American forces, who would be attacking Utah beach,
0:43:16 > 0:43:19moved in to start training for the impending invasion.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25On Slapton Sands, the training exercises were deadly serious.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29In an attempt to re-create the intense hostility of a battlefield,
0:43:29 > 0:43:31live ammunition was used.
0:43:36 > 0:43:40Today, a rusted Sherman tank stands as a memorial to one particular
0:43:40 > 0:43:44exercise that went disastrously wrong and cost hundreds of lives.
0:43:48 > 0:43:52One of the few survivors of the tragedy is Steve Sadlon.
0:43:52 > 0:43:58In 1944 he was a 19-year-old radio operator in the US Navy.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01On the 23rd of April 1944,
0:44:01 > 0:44:04Steve was one of the 23,000 allied troops
0:44:04 > 0:44:07involved in the biggest practice exercise to date,
0:44:07 > 0:44:13a full scale simulation of the D-Day landings, codenamed Exercise Tiger.
0:44:13 > 0:44:15Out in the English Channel,
0:44:15 > 0:44:19Steve's assault craft was making its way towards Slapton Sands.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21This was a dry run.
0:44:21 > 0:44:25Exercise Tiger was just like the real thing.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28When we were going towards Slapton Sands,
0:44:28 > 0:44:31I heard a scrape underneath the ship.
0:44:32 > 0:44:37And the next thing you know, I heard GQ
0:44:37 > 0:44:42and I thought to myself, my gosh, they're making things pretty real.
0:44:42 > 0:44:46The next thing you know, I got hit.
0:44:46 > 0:44:48I got torpedoed.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52Auxiliary engine room, that's right below me.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55Suddenly, it was no longer an exercise.
0:44:55 > 0:45:00Steve's ship was at war, under attack by German torpedo boats.
0:45:00 > 0:45:03The enemy boats had been spotted by the British fleet,
0:45:03 > 0:45:05but due to a simple administrative error
0:45:05 > 0:45:08the radio warnings never made it to the convoy.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12We were on a wrong frequency.
0:45:12 > 0:45:17They knew that these E-boats were approaching us
0:45:17 > 0:45:20and they never let us know
0:45:20 > 0:45:22that we were in danger.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27I staggered into the wheelhouse
0:45:27 > 0:45:32and here the fire was already approaching the wheelhouse.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35The skipper was still there. He was...
0:45:35 > 0:45:40he said, "Well, we can't do anything so we'd better abandon ship."
0:45:40 > 0:45:43I jumped in there, it was cold.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49And the signal man says, "Steve,
0:45:49 > 0:45:51"I'm not going in that water.
0:45:51 > 0:45:53"It's too cold."
0:45:53 > 0:45:58So I said to him, "OK, take your choice."
0:45:58 > 0:46:01So I pointed to the water. I said, "Are you going to freeze to death?"
0:46:01 > 0:46:06and I pointed at the fire, and I said, "You're going to burn to death."
0:46:06 > 0:46:08He burned to death.
0:46:08 > 0:46:10He took that choice.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Before I passed out,
0:46:16 > 0:46:22I just remembered my mother cradling me in my arms.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27I had this care and everything else...
0:46:27 > 0:46:30and then I thought about the green grass...
0:46:30 > 0:46:32of home.
0:46:32 > 0:46:37I said, "If I ever get there," I said "I'm going to kiss that grass,
0:46:37 > 0:46:43"and I'm going to hug my mother." I said, "Boy, this is..."
0:46:43 > 0:46:46That's the last I remember.
0:46:46 > 0:46:48I passed out,
0:46:48 > 0:46:50you know.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56The rest of the convoy were immediately ordered back to port,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59but the captain of one of the ships disobeyed the order
0:46:59 > 0:47:03and returned to pick up 132 survivors including Steve,
0:47:03 > 0:47:07who'd been in the freezing sea for over four hours.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11When I woke up, a sailor, he was...
0:47:11 > 0:47:16shaking me, waking me up and he says, "You know,
0:47:16 > 0:47:18"you're a lucky person."
0:47:18 > 0:47:20He said,
0:47:20 > 0:47:22"You were piled with the dead."
0:47:22 > 0:47:27He said, "You were frothing at the mouth and we took you off the pile and we worked on you."
0:47:31 > 0:47:38The official death toll for 28th April 1944 was 749,
0:47:38 > 0:47:42but despite the loss of life, the training at Slapton continued
0:47:42 > 0:47:44and the disaster was kept secret
0:47:44 > 0:47:47until after the successful D-Day invasions.
0:47:48 > 0:47:53In spite of his horrific experience, Steve still took part in the landings on Utah beach.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57Ironically, more soldiers were killed during Exercise Tiger
0:47:57 > 0:48:02than died on D-Day attacking the very beach they'd trained for.
0:48:02 > 0:48:06It was 43 years before this memorial was built on Slapton Sands
0:48:06 > 0:48:11to commemorate the US servicemen who lost their lives that night on Exercise Tiger.
0:48:14 > 0:48:18Further down the beach the Americans left their own memorial,
0:48:18 > 0:48:22dedicated to the 3000 evacuees like John Hannaford,
0:48:22 > 0:48:26who were finally allowed back home after 12 months away.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30John feels that the hardship he suffered was a small price to pay,
0:48:30 > 0:48:34especially in comparison to the tragic loss of life that took place on Exercise Tiger.
0:48:34 > 0:48:37The sad truth is that without the sacrifices of the people
0:48:37 > 0:48:40who lived and trained around Slapton Sands,
0:48:40 > 0:48:43the casualties at D-Day may have been far higher.
0:48:57 > 0:49:01Devon's most southerly town is the holiday resort of Salcombe.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05The town's wealth was originally founded on shipbuilding,
0:49:05 > 0:49:07but today it's a haven for second homes.
0:49:07 > 0:49:13Half of Salcombe's properties are owned by people who don't live here full-time.
0:49:16 > 0:49:20An even more exclusive location lies just around the coast,
0:49:20 > 0:49:24the 26 rocky acres of Burgh Island.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33At times, calling this an island can be misleading,
0:49:33 > 0:49:35but for six hours each day the holidaymakers
0:49:35 > 0:49:39on the neighbouring beach are rudely interrupted
0:49:39 > 0:49:42as the tide returns to restore Burgh Island's independence.
0:49:42 > 0:49:46This is one of the charms that's attracted distinguished guests
0:49:46 > 0:49:51to the curious hotel on the island for decades.
0:49:51 > 0:49:55This bizarre and incredibly noisy contraption is a sea tractor
0:49:55 > 0:49:59and it's reputed to be the only one of its kind in the whole world.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03It takes guests over to Burgh Island at high tide.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07Now, BBC budgets being what they are, I don't think I'll be staying the night,
0:50:07 > 0:50:10but I should be OK for a good nosey round.
0:50:11 > 0:50:16The hotel dates back to 1929, when the flamboyant industrialist
0:50:16 > 0:50:21Archie Nettlefold built a sumptuous retreat to entertain his friends.
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Approaching the art deco entrance,
0:50:26 > 0:50:30I feel a bit like Hercule Poirot on the trail of a murder mystery.
0:50:32 > 0:50:36While Monsieur Poirot was fictitious, his creator Agatha Christie
0:50:36 > 0:50:41was a frequent visitor here, along other celebrities of the '30s
0:50:41 > 0:50:46such as Edward and Mrs Simpson, Noel Coward and Amy Johnson,
0:50:46 > 0:50:51who would all come here to escape the public gaze and enjoy complete privacy.
0:50:54 > 0:51:01Burgh Island soon became a haven for the rich, the famous and the slightly disreputable.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07Hidden away from the prying paparazzi of the day,
0:51:07 > 0:51:10here they could be as decadent as they wished.
0:51:13 > 0:51:18It's said that Noel Coward wrote some of his most lovely songs here
0:51:18 > 0:51:20over cocktails... and winks at the waiters.
0:51:22 > 0:51:28Whatever went on, Burgh Island's seclusion meant that the outside world seemed a million miles away.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37Constructing a property on an island with only limited access to
0:51:37 > 0:51:41the mainland would present builders with a few headaches even today.
0:51:43 > 0:51:49But imagine trying to build a house 14 miles out at sea 300 years ago.
0:51:49 > 0:51:54A house that would be responsible for saving thousands of lives.
0:51:54 > 0:51:57I love lighthouses.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01In fact I'm an honorary member of the Association of Lighthouse Keepers.
0:52:01 > 0:52:08And get this. I'm now on my way to visit the location of the world's first offshore lighthouse.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10We've only got a very short weather window.
0:52:10 > 0:52:13It's going to be pretty tricky to get out there.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18That is fantastic!
0:52:18 > 0:52:23Right on the horizon there, there's the faintest grey line just sticking up a few millimetres as it were.
0:52:23 > 0:52:25That is the Eddystone lighthouse.
0:52:25 > 0:52:29It's all very well from our 21st century perspective.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31We know you can build lighthouses on rocks.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34But put yourself in the shoes of people 300 years ago
0:52:34 > 0:52:38when that idea was as outlandish as building a tower on the moon.
0:52:47 > 0:52:54When this lighthouse was opened in 1882 it was hailed as a miracle of engineering, and so it was.
0:52:54 > 0:52:58But believe it or not it's not that lighthouse I've come to see.
0:52:58 > 0:53:00It's the ones that were here before it.
0:53:02 > 0:53:07For centuries these rocks have sunk countless ships bound for Plymouth.
0:53:07 > 0:53:12With the great interest in maritime trade in the late 17th century,
0:53:12 > 0:53:16a way had to be found to protect ships from these foreboding rocks.
0:53:23 > 0:53:28Today, the strong south-easterly winds are making the approach to the lighthouse a wee bit tricky.
0:53:28 > 0:53:33But imagine having the nerve to build a lighthouse out here
0:53:33 > 0:53:36300 years ago with only flimsy wooden rowing boats
0:53:36 > 0:53:39to transport tonnes of material and teams of builders.
0:53:41 > 0:53:46The man who did have the nerve to try this was one Henry Winstanley.
0:53:46 > 0:53:52He started building in 1696 and by 1699 he had completed his masterpiece.
0:53:52 > 0:53:55It had a stone foundation but it was mostly a wooden structure.
0:53:55 > 0:54:00Imagine a wooden tower out here in the face of these gales!
0:54:01 > 0:54:05After three years of struggle and one failure,
0:54:05 > 0:54:08in 1699 Winstanley was finally happy with his design.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11It was an amazing spectacle.
0:54:11 > 0:54:15The 120 foot structure was finished with ornate engravings
0:54:15 > 0:54:18and extravagant wrought iron details.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Many people questioned the lighthouse's sturdiness.
0:54:26 > 0:54:32Would it be able to stand up to the unrelenting gales and ferocious seas?
0:54:33 > 0:54:36Winstanley's confidence in his tower was unshakeable.
0:54:36 > 0:54:40He boasted, "I only wish that I may be in the lighthouse
0:54:40 > 0:54:45"in circumstances that will test its strength to the utmost."
0:54:45 > 0:54:49On the 26th November 1703, Winstanley's wish came true.
0:54:49 > 0:54:54That night, the biggest recorded storm to hit Britain
0:54:54 > 0:54:59devastated the entire country claiming at least 8,000 lives.
0:54:59 > 0:55:04When people came out to this rock to see how he had fared, there was not a trace.
0:55:04 > 0:55:09Not of Winstanley, not of the lighthouse crew and not of the lighthouse.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11All they found was some twisted metal.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Winstanley was gone.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16His light had kept sailors safe for over four years,
0:55:16 > 0:55:20but just two days after the lighthouse collapsed
0:55:20 > 0:55:25a ship struck the rock and sank with the loss of all hands.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28Another lighthouse was built, but it burnt down.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31So, the maritime authorities commissioned Yorkshireman
0:55:31 > 0:55:35John Smeaton to build a structure that would stand the test of time.
0:55:35 > 0:55:38And its stump still remains here.
0:55:38 > 0:55:42Now this was a huge step forward in lighthouse design.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45These blocks of granite are dovetailed together.
0:55:45 > 0:55:49They are like three dimensional jigsaw pieces that all lock together.
0:55:50 > 0:55:56Smeaton had used the shape of an English oak tree as inspiration for his lighthouse.
0:55:56 > 0:56:02He wanted it to be sturdy, but also flexible enough to sway slightly in the wind.
0:56:04 > 0:56:08It entered service in October 1759.
0:56:08 > 0:56:14So effective was Smeaton's innovative design that it became the standard for lighthouses world wide,
0:56:14 > 0:56:18and is still a template for today's lighthouse builders.
0:56:18 > 0:56:23Smeaton's lighthouse stood for 120 years before cracks appeared.
0:56:23 > 0:56:27Not in the tower, but on the rock below it.
0:56:27 > 0:56:31The lighthouse had proved to be tougher than the very rock it stood on.
0:56:48 > 0:56:52That is the best day at work I've ever had!
0:56:52 > 0:56:57Diving into the sea off lighthouses doesn't get any better. Fantastic!
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Such was the significance of Smeaton's lighthouse
0:57:02 > 0:57:04that the people of Plymouth paid for it
0:57:04 > 0:57:10to be taken down block by block and rebuilt on Plymouth Hoe as a memorial to its designer.
0:57:12 > 0:57:16It stands there today as Plymouth's most famous landmark,
0:57:16 > 0:57:18a testament not only to Smeaton
0:57:18 > 0:57:21but to all of the pioneering lighthouse builders
0:57:21 > 0:57:24who gave their lives to save the lives of others.
0:57:28 > 0:57:34I've travelled around 120 miles along this property coast and I've seen all kinds of places.
0:57:34 > 0:57:39I've seen luxury. I've seen opulence. I've even see decadence, but you know,
0:57:39 > 0:57:47you can't help but be reminded that this landscape and these views are free and also priceless.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:08 > 0:58:10E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk