A shipwreck more than 100 years old thought to have been destroyed by the December 5 tidal surge has reappeared on a north Norfolk beach.

The shell of the Ispolen, which was wrecked in 1897, revealed itself on Sheringham beach near the west promenade two days ago.

Coastal engineer and Sheringham resident Brian Farrow said: 'I was surprised and very pleased it had come back. It is part of the history of the town. If you think of the coastal towns a hundred years ago they were all about the sea and fishing.

'The Ispolen would have been a significant ship. For us to have that history is important. It has been in Sheringham a long time and I for one love it. It is good to see it back.'

Mr Farrow added: 'We all assumed she had been broken up in the tidal surge but apparently it had not been damaged and was buried in the shingle bank.'

It is believed the remains of the vessel had moved a few days before the storm surge and the heavy sea swells last week caused the shingle bank to break.

Philip Miles, manager of The Mo Sheringham Museum, said: 'It is a little piece of marine archaeology. One day it will be reclaimed by the sea.'

The promenade museum has brasswork from the ship, which can be seen at low tide.

Parts of the ship are constantly being revealed but the last time the majority of the vessel was exposed was in March 2012.

Carrying a cargo of ice, the boat had left Norway on January 19, 1897, bound for Gravesend. But after it got into difficulties in a storm on January 23, the private Henry Ramey Upcher lifeboat in Sheringham was launched. All eight people on the Ispolen were brought back to safety.

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