Cars submerged at Bettystown Beach as drivers caught out by tides

A local Councillor has warned motorists of the danger of the high spring tides-after a number of cars were submerged in the sea at Bettystown yesterday.

The warning comes after cars owners were caught out by the unusually high tides with at least one vehicle almost being swept out to sea.

"It was a very unfortunate experience to have," said Fine Gael Cllr Sharon Tolan.

"Those cars must have been completely destroyed yesterday, one was actually bobbing up and down in the sea, only for the concrete blocks that were there it would have been lost out to sea completely."

"At this time of the year we experience very high spring tides. These things have very serious implications. We are just appealing to people to just familiarise themselves with the tide times.

"There is plenty of information on websites that give you the tide times for the week so people can plan their walk or swim or know whether it will be safe to park. "

Tolan is also warning motorists to beware of the risks of leaving a car unattended at the beach.

"We have a cordoned off area at the beach to provide parking for people with disabilities and age friendly parking spaces and there is also a front row that has no restrictions on parking.

"Generally I'd say most elderly people would park and go for a walk but there was no beach for walking on at that time yesterday.

"You take very serious risks driving on to a beach. Sand and salt will do damage to cars regardless of the tide. There have been calls from other councillors to extend that parking area but it is just not a safe parking area for anybody, we need to secure land to try to provide proper beach parking.

"I don't think it was too much to suggest that people pay 4 euro across the road to park at Funtasia for the day. It is literally across the road from the entrance to Bettystown Beach and it is a lot cheaper than what you would pay to park in Drogheda or Navan."

Find tide times here