Campaigners for sea defences in Hemsby have asked King Charles for help.

But a reply sent from Buckingham Palace has poured cold water over the request.

In the letter, a palace correspondence secretary said: "The King has asked me to thank you for your letter requesting financial assistance to aid in the preservation of your local landscape.

"His Majesty is most grateful to your for taking the trouble to write, but I am afraid he is unable to help on this occasion. I am so sorry to send you such a disappointing reply, but trust that you understand."

Great Yarmouth Mercury: A letter sent from Buckingham Palace to campaigners for sea defences in Hemsby.A letter sent from Buckingham Palace to campaigners for sea defences in Hemsby. (Image: Submitted)READ MORE: Shadow minister pledges to 'open the door' for sea defence funding

The letter from the palace comes as Hemsby Independent Lifeboat's offshore service remains inoperable due to erosion of the slipway to the beach.

Coxswain Dan Hurd said they are hoping to have the service up and running again by Tuesday evening.

The lifeboat crew has had to rebuild the ramp which leads down to the beach approximately 15 times over the past five months, he said.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: Hemsby Independent Lifeboat coxswain Daniel Hurd and helmsman Chris Batten on Downing Street.Hemsby Independent Lifeboat coxswain Daniel Hurd and helmsman Chris Batten on Downing Street. (Image: Hemsby Independent Lifeboat)

With donations from traders on Beach Road, the service bought an excavator for the work.

"If it wasn't for the traders we wouldn't have been able to afford it," Mr Hurd said.

He questioned why rebuilding the slipway - which also allows the public onto the beach - should be the sole responsibility of the lifeboat crew.

"It's the lifeboat crew who are constantly reinstating the ramp. There's no help for us. Nobody is offering us any money for keeping the beach open.

"It just seems there's no funding for Hemsby. It's devastating really, letting the coastline disappear like that," he said. 

For more than a decade, erosion along the village's coastline has claimed 25 homes, repeatedly cut safe access to the beach and left the future of the resort in peril.

Campaigners have obtained planning permission for a 1.5km rock berm to safeguard the village for 20 years - but government funding was rejected in October as not enough homes were deemed to be at risk.