Norfolk's busiest coastwatch station, which overlooks a treacherous beach, is set to be upgraded.

The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) wants to replace its temporary look-out at Brancaster, near Hunstanton.

It has applied for planning permission for a permanent building on the sea wall at the Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, to replace a trailer on loan from the RNLI.

The station, staffed by volunteers, was opened last year to keep an eye on the beach, which is notorious for people being cut off by the tides.

NCI said in a planning statement it has dealt with 22 incidents since it opened and intervened in "many more".

"This has resulted in a dramatic drop in coastguard and RNLI call-outs and has ensured that Brancaster beach has become a much safer environment to engage in water-based activities, whether from the beach or on the sea," it says.

"NCI Brancaster has 27 watchkeepers operating two watches a day, 365 days of the year and is by far the busiest station in Norfolk."

The station also overlooks the channels connecting harbours at Thornham and Brancaster to the sea.