Parts of the Isle of Wight's coast saw the second highest tides on record on Monday, April 9, the Environment Agency has confirmed.

In Cowes, where the high street was swamped and businesses were badly hit, peak tide levels were just 9cm short of the highest ever recorded there.

At midnight on Monday, levels reached 2.64 mAOD (meters above ordnance datum).

This was second only to tides recorded in the coastal town on February, 14, when levels were at 2.73 mAOD.

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A Met Office weather warning for strong winds was also in force on Monday and the EA estimates the storm pushed normal spring tides up by an extra half-a-metre.

Bembridge saw the Island's highest tides on the night and potentially the town's highest on record, with levels reaching 3.04 mAOD.

Tide levels in Ryde were at 2.85 mAOD. The highest recorded is 3.06 mAOD on February 14 this year.

In Yarmouth, where Wightlink's car ferry port flooded, tide levels got to 2.02 mAOD. Again, the highest recorded was 2.15 mAOD on February 14.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “On Monday night the south coast experienced some of the highest tides on record, with an extra half-a-metre caused by the storm on top of normal spring tides.

"Our teams are out across the region supporting other agencies and to check the effect of the conditions on our flood defences. 

“We know the devastation flooding can cause, and we sympathise with anyone whose property was flooded. 

“People should still remain vigilant despite an improving situation, and check their flood-risk at www.gov.uk/flood or on Floodline: 0345 988 1188. Updates are also available on our X feed, formerly Twitter: @envagencyse.”

The flooding in Cowes caused thousands of pounds worth of damage for some businesses.

On Tuesday, many shopkeepers were forced to close as a clean-up operation got underway.