KITESURFERS lapped up the windy weather as stormy conditions continued in south Essex.

Kitesurfers revelled in the strong gusts off Shoebury seafront as the sun shone at the weekend.

The Essex Weather Centre is predicting more rain and wind to hit and is concerned about flooding as the ground is already at saturation point following heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.

Tom Defty, from the weather centre, said 25 storms had hit the county since St Jude in September last year, dropping nearly a year’s worth of rainfall in that time.

He said: “There is no end in sight. “I think realistically it will take longer than a month of no rain to sort this situation out.

“Luckily we are coming up to spring. Once we hit spring the arctic air will disappear. But of course we may have to wait until the middle of March for that.”