Widespread floods caused devastation to Selsey, with damage estimated at £5m.

But after submitting a request under the Freedom Of Information Act, the Selsey coastline action group learned that since 2004 the EA could have done something to prevent mass flooding.

Save Our Selsey (SOS) chairman Richard Dearsley said: "We had an idea something was going on and said the defences weren't strong enough.

"Nothing's going to stop a storm like that, I understand this, but with defences which are just four metres wide, you may as well just build some sandcastles there.

"The EA always has a lovely set of answers for every scenario, that's what it feels like to me."

The report shows the EA was using only £100,000 from its £300,000 annual maintenance budget for the sea defences.

The government body also acknowledged that 750 metres of beach was vulnerable.

Mr Dearsley added: "It tried to save a little bit of money by not spending, but look at what it will cost to repair the damages from the storm.

"We were worried when it took out the groynes from the defences because it said they had reached the end of their useful life."

SOS believes the EA is not maintaining the defences because it wants to carry out 'managed realignment' – purposely flooding an area of land and turning it into a saltmarsh.

SOS vice-chairman Ben Cooper said: "The report dates back to 2004 but we have only just received this information.

"We requested this report for over a year and was only given to us because of the intervention of the National Audit Office.

"If it wasn't for them, we may never have seen it until it's too late.

"It was the vulnerable sea defences at Medmerry which were breached last week.

"It does not make very good reading and our view is that the EA trying to move the shingle to the site is just a case of too little, too late."

For more about the flooding in Selsey click here.