Latest news with #Bacton
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Bacton sandscaping saves £3 million in flood damage
Six years since a pioneering coastal defence project was implemented on the Norfolk coast, local people say their lives have been transformed with improvements to mental health, tourism and property prices. The £19m sandscaping project was designed to stop Bacton gas terminal from falling into the sea. Enough sand to half-fill Wembley Stadium was dredged and pumped ashore to rebuild the beach. A new study has found it has already prevented £3m of flood damage in the villages of Bacton and Walcott. 'The wind ruled our lives' In 2018, the future of the village of Walcott hung in the balance. With no beach left because of coastal erosion it was at risk of being swept away by the sea. Pauline Porter, chair of the parish council, says people left the village after 70 properties were damaged during a storm and tidal surge in December 2013. "The wind ruled our lives. If there were high tides you stayed close to the village in case your needed to rescue your pets or valuables. It was a way of life."There was no beach. You had a good drop of 12 to 14ft most of the time and as fast as the steps were made longer to reach the beach, the faster the beach disappeared."We used to have three to five flood evacuations a year, but since sandscaping we haven't had one. "Had it not been for sandscaping the village would have been lost under the sea." In 2019, two million cubic metres of sand were dredged and pumped ashore to raise beach levels by up to seven metres. The £19m project was mainly funded by the owners of Bacton gas terminal, which handles a third of the UK's natural gas supplies, with £5m coming from public funds. The sandscaping project has a 15 to 20 year design life. Six years on, the sand has moved up and down the coast as well as offshore, creating a small bar that dissipates the energy of the waves. 'I feared for the business' For years the Kingfisher Cafe could not get flood insurance. Since the sandscaping it can once again. Owner Graham French says he used to wonder if he was going to lose the business."If it had not been for the gas terminal we would not have benefitted from the sandscaping scheme."We now feel we can invest in the business and customers have been coming back." '£3 million of flood damage prevented' A draft report prepared for the Crown Estate has found that between 2019 and 2023 the sandscaping has prevented serious flooding in the villages on at least one occasion, saving £3m in damage to properties. It also concluded that it is likely to have prevented erosion of the B1159, the main access road to the gas terminal. A survey of residents carried out by the University of East Anglia found mental health and investor confidence in the area had improved. The project's designer says it has bought time. Jaap Flikweert from Royal HaskoningDHV says beaches from Mundesley to Happisburgh have built up more than they thought. "We expected the bulge of sand would erode quite rapidly but it has also moved elsewhere." He says the study for the Crown Estate has also put a value on the savings to the nation due to people not being out of work or needing to use the NHS services for poor mental health."In just a few years we estimate it has brought another £3-4m of benefit. It is really good to see that the scheme does its job." 'Nature-based solutions' The man who co-ordinated the project says it is not a solution for all communities fighting coastal erosion. Rob Goodliffe, who is coastal transition manager at North Norfolk District Council, says it has demonstrated the benefits of nature-based solutions to sea level rise."Any scheme has to stack up economically but you cannot necessarily pick this up and drop it into another area."The owners of Bacton gas terminal were approached by the BBC but declined to comment. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Sexual assault by friend left me feeling 'betrayed'
A woman who was sexually assaulted by a friend after a night out has described the devastating impact the attack had on her life. Bryony Piggin, 20, waived her right to anonymity and told the BBC she felt "betrayed" by her former best friend. She spoke out after Stefan Nikolic, 20, of Coast Road, Bacton, in Norfolk, was found guilty of assault by penetration. On Friday, Recorder Simon Levene sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for 24 months, and told him he had "misread" the situation. Describing her friendship with Nikolic before the attack, Ms Piggin said: "We were inseparable." The pair had been on a night out with friends in Norwich when the assault happened in April 2023. The court heard that she had agreed Nikolic could stay at her home in the city, but when she woke up, he was assaulting her. "It was incomprehensible that my best friend would do something like that to me," she said. Ms Piggin, who is now unable to work due to her mental health, said the assault left her with a sense of "confusion, betrayal and sadness". She said she could not believe her former friend "abused" the trust she gave him. The attack on 29 April 2023, has left Ms Piggin with anxiety issues and led to her dropping out of her Open University course. "I avoid leaving the house... Trauma makes it impossible to carry on." Nikolic denied assault by penetration, arguing he had consent, but a jury at Norwich Crown Court found him guilty on 31 March. Giles Fleming, for the prosecution, said that even two years on, Ms Piggin was still suffering. Reading from her victim impact statement, he said the "consequences were devastating" and that she was suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "He didn't just violate my body, he took the person I was. "Even now, two years on, I can still feel his touch," she said in her statement. The court heard how Ms Piggin still scrubs herself "raw in the shower" following the sexual assault. Recorder Levene said the pair had a "warm, affectionate relationship" before the incident. "You entirely misread the situation," he told Nikolic, adding "I do take into account your lack of maturity." Nikolic was also handed a five-year restraining order. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sexual assault by friend left me feeling 'betrayed'
A woman who was sexually assaulted by a friend after a night out has described the devastating impact the attack had on her life. Bryony Piggin, 20, waived her right to anonymity and told the BBC she felt "betrayed" by her former best friend. She spoke out after Stefan Nikolic, 20, of Coast Road, Bacton, in Norfolk, was found guilty of assault by penetration. On Friday, Recorder Simon Levene sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for 24 months, and told him he had "misread" the situation. Describing her friendship with Nikolic before the attack, Ms Piggin said: "We were inseparable." The pair had been on a night out with friends in Norwich when the assault happened in April 2023. The court heard that she had agreed Nikolic could stay at her home in the city, but when she woke up, he was assaulting her. "It was incomprehensible that my best friend would do something like that to me," she said. Ms Piggin, who is now unable to work due to her mental health, said the assault left her with a sense of "confusion, betrayal and sadness". She said she could not believe her former friend "abused" the trust she gave him. The attack on 29 April 2023, has left Ms Piggin with anxiety issues and led to her dropping out of her Open University course. "I avoid leaving the house... Trauma makes it impossible to carry on." Nikolic denied assault by penetration, arguing he had consent, but a jury at Norwich Crown Court found him guilty on 31 March. Giles Fleming, for the prosecution, said that even two years on, Ms Piggin was still suffering. Reading from her victim impact statement, he said the "consequences were devastating" and that she was suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "He didn't just violate my body, he took the person I was. "Even now, two years on, I can still feel his touch," she said in her statement. The court heard how Ms Piggin still scrubs herself "raw in the shower" following the sexual assault. Recorder Levene said the pair had a "warm, affectionate relationship" before the incident. "You entirely misread the situation," he told Nikolic, adding "I do take into account your lack of maturity." Nikolic was also handed a five-year restraining order. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
01-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
'Sexual assault by friend left me feeling betrayed'
A woman who was sexually assaulted by a friend after a night out has described the devastating impact the attack had on her Piggin, 20, waived her right to anonymity and told the BBC she felt "betrayed" by her former best spoke out after Stefan Nikolic, 20, of Coast Road, Bacton, in Norfolk, was found guilty of assault by penetration. On Friday, Recorder Simon Levene sentenced him to two years in prison, suspended for 24 months, and told him he had "misread" the situation. 'Trauma' Describing her friendship with Nikolic before the attack, Ms Piggin said: "We were inseparable."The pair had been on a night out with friends in Norwich when the assault happened in April court heard that she had agreed Nikolic could stay at her home in the city, but when she woke up, he was assaulting her."It was incomprehensible that my best friend would do something like that to me," she Piggin, who is now unable to work due to her mental health, said the assault left her with a sense of "confusion, betrayal and sadness".She said she could not believe her former friend "abused" the trust she gave him. The attack on 29 April 2023, has left Ms Piggin with anxiety issues and led to her dropping out of her Open University course. "I avoid leaving the house... Trauma makes it impossible to carry on." Nikolic denied assault by penetration, arguing he had consent, but a jury at Norwich Crown Court found him guilty on 31 March. Giles Fleming, for the prosecution, said that even two years on, Ms Piggin was still suffering. Reading from her victim impact statement, he said the "consequences were devastating" and that she was suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). "He didn't just violate my body, he took the person I was. "Even now, two years on, I can still feel his touch," she said in her statement. The court heard how Ms Piggin still scrubs herself "raw in the shower" following the sexual Levene said the pair had a "warm, affectionate relationship" before the incident."You entirely misread the situation," he told Nikolic, adding "I do take into account your lack of maturity."Nikolic was also handed a five-year restraining order. Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Eni Eyes Strategic Partnership With GIP in CCUS Business
Eni S.p.A. E has entered into exclusive negotiations with Global Infrastructure Partners ('GIP'), an investment group within BlackRock, to potentially sell a 49.99% co-control stake in its carbon capture, utilization, and storage ('CCUS') subsidiary, Eni CCUS Holding. The agreement marks a significant move in Eni's strategy to accelerate energy transition investments while unlocking value from its growing portfolio of decarbonization assets. The exclusivity period will allow both parties to complete due diligence and finalize transaction documentation. Eni CCUS Holding operates several key carbon capture initiatives, including the HyNet and Bacton projects in the UK and the L10 project in the Netherlands. It also holds future acquisition rights to the Ravenna CCS project in Italy, offering GIP a gateway to some of Europe's most critical carbon management infrastructure. Eni stated that the deal emerged from a competitive selection process with major international players, highlighting strong market interest in CCUS growth potential. In addition to acquiring a nearly 50% stake, GIP is expected to co-invest in expanding the CCUS platform. Eni views this as a validation of the value it's building within its energy transition portfolio, which includes renewable energy, sustainable mobility and low-carbon technologies. Eni recently secured financing for the Liverpool Bay CCS project, a key component of the UK's HyNet industrial cluster. The project aims to capture CO2 emissions from industrial facilities in North West England and North Wales, transporting them for permanent storage beneath the Irish Sea. Following project approval by the North Sea Transition Authority, Eni awarded major EPC contracts to Italian firms. Saipem will build a new CO2 compression station, while Rosetti Marino will deliver four offshore platforms for long-term CO2 storage. Earlier in May, Eni was among 44 oil and gas firms tasked by the EU to advance carbon storage initiatives to meet a bloc-wide goal of injecting at least 50 million tons of CO2 annually by 2030. The timing of Eni's stake sale discussions signals strong investor appetite for such infrastructure as Europe's regulatory and climate ambitions intensify. Eni's potential partnership with GIP could serve as a model for how legacy energy companies monetize transition-related assets while leveraging external capital to scale their decarbonization footprint across Europe. E currently carries a Zack Rank #4 (Sell). Investors interested in the energy sector may look at some better-ranked stocks like Subsea 7 S.A. SUBCY, Energy Transfer LP ET and RPC Inc. RES. Subsea 7 presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Energy Transfer and RPC carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Subsea 7 helps build underwater oil and gas fields. It is a top player in the Oil and Gas Equipment and Services market, which is expected to grow as oil and gas production moves further offshore. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for SUBCY's 2025 EPS is pegged at $1.31. The company has a Value Score of A. Energy Transfer is poised to benefit from long-term fee-based commitments. It is also focused on expanding operations through organic and inorganic initiatives. The firm is looking for solutions to meet growing energy demands from additional demand centers through its pipeline network. Energy Transfer's systematic investments should boost its total fractionation capacity at Mont Belvieu and raise its top line. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ET's 2025 EPS is pegged at $1.44. The company has a Value Score of A. RPC generates strong and stable revenues through a diverse range of oilfield services, including pressure pumping, coiled tubing and rental tools. The company is strongly committed to returning value to shareholders through consistent dividends and share buybacks. RPC's current dividend yield is higher than that of the composite stocks in the industry. Its new Tier IV dual-fuel fleet has boosted profits, with plans to further expand high-efficiency equipment to enhance operational capabilities. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RES' 2025 EPS is pegged at 38 cents. The company has a Value Score of A. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Eni SpA (E) : Free Stock Analysis Report Energy Transfer LP (ET) : Free Stock Analysis Report RPC, Inc. (RES) : Free Stock Analysis Report Subsea 7 SA (SUBCY) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
