After reaching the milestone of retirement, Michael Kennedy could have opted to take it easy with a few gentle strolls around his seaside home. Instead, the former mechanical engineer embarked on the toughest task of his life – keeping the thundering waves of the Norfolk coast at bay.
The 73-year-old has spent the past 14 years building his own sea wall at Hunstanton, piling up rocks picked from the sandy beach to slow the erosion of the soft limestone and chalk cliffs. In that time, he reckons to have toiled for nearly 9,000 hours and moved hundreds of thousands of stones weighing more than 200 tons in total.‘It’s a real labour of love because I come down here whatever the weather, in spring, summer, autumn and winter,’ said the divorced father of two. ‘It keeps me fit and I love it.’
Mr Kennedy moved to the area after retiring from the London Underground. Nicknamed Fred Flintstone by locals, he tries to move at least 40lb of rocks in two-hour sessions which he finishes by 2pm. This gives him plenty of time to get back to his detached bungalow a few hundred yards from the cliff face to watch Countdown.
Everything he collects is placed into piles at the foot of the cliffs. Larger rocks go at the bottom to provide the main line of defence and smaller ones are placed at the top.He also picks up rubbish and prides himself on having created a spotless, stone-free sandy beach for holidaymakers to enjoy. The work goes on six days a week. Saturdays are his day off so that the Chelsea ‘fanatic’ can watch football and other sports.
However, there are signs that he is becoming a victim of his own success, as the number of stones has dwindled significantly in recent months.
‘It’s baffling,’ he said. ‘Usually every year the stones just come in with the sea but this year we haven’t had any.’
Hunstanton is famous for its red-and-white striped cliffs. The lower layer of limestone, known as red chalk, was formed between 146million and 100million years ago. This supports a white chalk layer created between 100million and 65million years ago. Records show that the cliffs have retreated around 100ft in little over a century. Town mayor Peter Mallam said Mr Kennedy had become ‘quite a local legend’ and holidaymakers would seek him out.
‘I’ve met him and seen what he’s doing. It’s fascinating. Everyone knows of the chap who collects the stones. He’s done a sterling effort.’
Mr Kennedy added: ‘I can’t stop now. It’s like a drug to me.
‘I hope to still be doing it when I’m 100 but perhaps just four days a week instead of six.’
Source: mailonline