CAFE owners fear their livelihoods are under threat, because the sand protecting their businesses is being washed away.

High tides have eroded the beach at Eastern Esplanade, Southend. The owners of Ocean Beach Bar were so concerned after water began lapping under their decking, they hired a digger to dredge a nearby children's tidal pool of shingle and used it to build up the sand near their cafe.

Ritchie Bridge, co-owner of Ocean Beach, said they needed to pile the sand up as a sea defence to protect the building.

He said: "We've had some high tides and some quite stormy weather recently and it eroded the sand.

"I believe they shut the floodgates in London about a month ago. It meant there was an extra three feet of water which took the beach with it."

Mr Bridge said the beach was now eroding "dramatically" and this was a job they would probably have to take on every year.

In 2001 and 2002, Southend Council reinforced the flood defences from Southend Pier to Thorpe Bay, bringing in tonnes of sand and shingle on dredgers, to protect the stretch of seafront. The work eventually led to the creation of the renamed Jubilee Beach.

But Gordon Sage, who owns Hundreds Cafe, said the council ought to reinforce the area more regularly, as it had only taken a few high tides to sweep away much of the sand.

He said: "I wonder how many millions of pounds it must've cost to do that and now it's all being washed into the sea. It's another failure of Southend Council.

"After selling off all the toilets, this is another example of what it is doing with our money."

Mr Sage praised the Ocean Beach owners for using the shingle from the pool, so it could be used by youngsters this summer. He said the pool had recently been too full of shingle to be used, something else which had had hit businesses.

Roy Hunt, an engineering consultant for the council, said he had made an arrangement with Ocean Beach Bar for the sand to be removed.

He said: "It will be taking the sand and shingle from the swimming pool to place on the stretch of beach adjacent to his premises. This will enhance the beach area for us both.

"Once the funds are next available, we will recharge the beach again."