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Footage shows sea freezing at Minster Leas on the Isle of Sheppey

Incredible footage has been taken of the sea freezing at the Isle of Sheppey.

Rob Chinn, from Minster, was walking his dog Barney along The Leas at about 11am today when he stumbled across the extraordinary spectacle.

He said: "It was very unusual to see the sea freezing up.

"All along that section of The Leas, by The Sweet Hut, was just frozen.

"It was like 12 to 15 inches of frozen sea or frozen slush.

"I was quite surprised."

He added: "I've never seen anything like it before.

The sea freezing at Minster Leas today. Picture: Rob Chinn
The sea freezing at Minster Leas today. Picture: Rob Chinn

"I think it was about -2 down there at the time, but it certainly felt cold."

The last time such a sight was spotted on Sheppey was in March 2018.

Peter Olliver, who lived on The Leas, said it was "unbelievable" to see.

At the time, he said: "As the waves crashed onto the beach they froze instantly.

"The rest of sea about 10 metres was all slushy like a Slush Puppy."

Children playing on "icebergs" on Sheerness beach in 1963
Children playing on "icebergs" on Sheerness beach in 1963

Before that, the last Big Freeze was in January 1963 when temperatures plunged to -22 allowing children to scramble over frozen ice floes, especially around Neptune Jetty, Sheerness.

According to the Met Office, temperatures at The Leas will remain at 0C until 8am tomorrow morning, but it will feel like -6C.

Have you taken photos of the sea freezing today? Send them to timesguardian@thekmgroup.co.uk

Read more: All the latest news from Sheppey

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