The 31st January was the 50th anniversary of the 1953 East Coast Floods. It was one of the worst peace time disasters to have ever struck England and in Lincolnshire alone 43 people were killed. On the following pages we have gathered information about what happened, your memories of the floods, facts and figures about the floods and useful advice to help prevent flooding in the future.

If you have been looking through the flood section you are in good company - the Duke of Edinburgh has been spotted reading your experiences of the floods. He was in Mablethorpe unveiling a plaque to commemorate the 1953 floods and he has also formally opened an exhibition at The Dunes Family Entertainment Centre. His Royal Highness was also handed a copy of the 1953 floods documentary produced by BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Nigel Hallam.

• Find out more about the history of the floods and read a diary entry from the time. • Take a look at some of the first hand experiences of people from Lincolnshire who lived through the floods, hear their stories, see pictures and talk about the floods on the message board. • Find out some of the facts and figures of the 1953 floods. • Our advice section tells you all about what to do in the event of a flood. • Sea defences have been built since Roman times. Find out how they have changed over the years • All that not enough for you? Take a look at the flooding links page for more information.