IN response to Mr Deamer (Letters, February 2) headed “1950s set up could prevent tidal surge”.

For the greater part of my working life, I was employed as a plant hire machine operator.

During the course of my employment, the company I worked for were engaged by Scarborough Borough Council to carry out such work.

From the early 1990s up to my retirement in 2005, sand was excavated to a depth so as to expose approximately 1.5 metres or 5ft of sea wall and steps, from the lifeboat house to opposite the Grand Hotel.

As far as I know this work is still being carried out once a year.

The procedure involved loading sand on to dump trucks and transporting it along the beach to be deposited close to the Spa area, where possible among the protruding rocks, under the supervision of and to the satisfaction of the council’s engineers.

Mr Deamer failed to mention the foolhardy and irresponsible actions of people on the seafront during the tidal surge. As Al Read used to say: “I thought you would have had more oil in your lamp.”

Mike Kitching, Old Malton