COASTGUARDS today hit out at people who risked their lives as a huge storm battered the Dorset coast.

They said that they were inundated with reports of people dodging giant waves all along the coast.

In Weymouth and Portland dozens of people gathered to watch huge waves crash over the beach, at Newton's Cove and along Chesil Beach.

Coastguards said people clambering about in surging seas at night were risking their lives.

Conditions were so bad at Lyme Regis that coastguards closed the seafront after spotting members of the public dodging giant waves.

Watch Officer Rob Sansom said: "If they had fallen into the sea and the lifeboat had been out on another incident then we could not have guaranteed getting to them.

"It was a spectacular storm but some people watching it have behaved stupidly by needlessly risking their lives, wave-dodging. We would urge everyone to behave more sensibly while such dangerous conditions persist."

High tides and rough seas combined with winds gusting 60-70mph, sending waves pouring on to the Esplanade in Weymouth, and the Environment Agency issued a flood warning for the town.

More than a foot of water swept across the Commercial Road yacht storage area and flooded both entrances of the multi-storey car park before lapping into Lower St Alban Street and up Commercial Road by Debenhams.

Some waves smashing into foundations sent towering clouds of spray over the Sea Palace Chinese restaurant at the former Pier Bandstand where sea water poured into the road.

Spectators watching the storm had to leap on to seafront shelter benches to dodge some waves which poured down steps into seafront toilets, while giant floating mats of foam covered large sections of the beach, the Esplanade and Preston Beach Road. Weymouth's internationally famous sand modeller Mark Anderson had some of his latest Lord of the Rings creations washed away by thigh-deep water.

Mr Anderson said: "The last time we had seas this high was about 15 years ago and they were not as high as last night.

"About two tons of sand has washed into the display area and it will take me a week to clear it out. It is pretty messy."

Debris littering the sands ranged from plastic barrels and large fishing buoys to a child's pushchair.

Weymouth and Portland assistant outdoor leisure manager Kevin Good said staff retrieved what they could and tried to collect some of the dozens of wood sleepers from concession kiosks bases which had been torn out of the beach by the power of the storm.

Today the flood gates at Chesil Cove were closed and a flood warning was issued for Chiswell on Portland.

Forecasters warned that more heavy rain with thunder could hit the area later today.