WALTON'S Naze Protection Society will be kick-started once again in a bid to launch a major fundraising campaign to save Walton's crumbling cliffs.

The group campaigned for more than 25 years to raise cash towards the £1.2million Crag Walk scheme, which opened in 2011 to protect the historic Naze Tower, which is less than 200ft from the crumbling cliff edge.

Bur almost ten years on, fears have been raised for other parts of the internationally important cliffs, which contain 50million-year-old fossils.

It comes after sections of cliff, about 300 metres away from the tower, collapse earlier this month.

David Eagle, acting chairman of the Naze Protection Society, said a very significant sum is needed to help fund solutions to slowing the erosion of the Naze.

He added: "When Crag Walk was built it was recognised that the adjoining cliffs would continue to erode and that further work would be needed to prevent the sea cutting in behind it.

"The Crag Walk project delivered some security for the tower, but coastal processes are relentless.

"The erosion rate on the north end of the cliffs has been 3 to 5 metres per year.

"Whilst this north area is critical to keeping the North Sea at bay, maintaining Crag Walk remains an issue.

"Rock has tripled in price since Crag Walk was constructed. Post-covid funding is going to be a challenge.

"We are losing more and more of the Naze, year by year.

"Some might say one should let nature take its course.

"What is certain is that with no action the Naze will disappear and Walton will be in a very different place.

"We still have time, but every year that passes the opportunities become more difficult.

"The time has come again now for our society to step forward again on a major fund raising project to work with the local councils to meet these challenges."

Mr Eagle said the society, under the chairmanship of David Gager, previously raised almost £25,000, mostly from local donations.

The Crag Walk project also led to the creation of the Naze Management Board, which meets four times a year.

"Discussions at the Naze Management Board from 2014 recognised that the sea would breach through and flood the Anglian Water Sewage treatment Works, critical infrastructure for the local area," added Mr Eagle.

"All partners worked together to deliver a 250-metre counter wall in 2018, raising £250,000, with contributions from Anglian Water, the Regional Flood Defence Committee, Tendring Council, Frinton and Walton Town Council and the Naze protection Society.

"Even with Covid the board is continuing to work, currently looking at reducing the alarming rate of erosion on the north beach frontage."

The Naze Protection Society, helped by Walton Wildfowlers, also ndertook emergency works in September delivering temporary resilience to the area while Tendring Council prepares further solutions.

Anyone interested in joining the campaign is asked to email david.eagleuk@gmail.com.