Coal Barn at Thornham Harbour fenced off for safety reasons

Lumps of stone and other material have come loose from the Coal Barn at Thornham, near Hunstanton.

It came after parish councillors raised fears that the centuries-old building was deteriorating.

The Coal Barn, at Thornham Harbour (Image: Chris Bishop)

Their latest minutes say: "Further brickwork had been reported to have fallen from the Coal Barn.

"This had temporality been taped off as a precaution due to the safety of the public by the parish council.

"The clerk had asked if fencing could be installed around the property as there was a health and safety issue to public.

A large hole has appeared in the side of the Coal Barn, at Thornham Harbour (Image: Chris Bishop)

Masonry which has fallen from the Coal Barn at Thornham Harbour (Image: Chris Bishop)

Masonry which has fallen from the Coal Barn at Thornham Harbour (Image: Chris Bishop)

"The property owner was due to attend to visit the property and meet with councillors however this was cancelled by the property owner."

The parish council has flagged up its concerns to the building's owner and contacted West Norfolk Council, which advised it to refer them to CNC Building Control, which oversees building regulations for councils in Norfolk.

The Coal Barn, built around 300 years ago, is virtually all that remains of a once-bustling  harbour at Thornham.

A picture of the Coal Barn, along with the mill and granary which once stood nearby on the village sign at Thornham (Image: Chris Bishop)

As well as coal, it is also said to have been used by smugglers to stash their booty.

The last coal ship docked in 1914, by which time it was cheaper to bring fuel from collieries in the north east by rail than by sea.

Since then the harbour creek has silted up and just a handful of small fishing boats and pleasure craft are able to use it.

The Coal Barn pictured in better days (Image: Chris Bishop)

Plans to turn the Coal Barn into an art studio were given the go-ahead by West Norfolk Council in 2007, but the scheme did not materialise.

In 2014, plans to turn the building into a house were turned down on appeal on the grounds that the property was at risk from flooding, despite standing on slightly-raised ground.