The bridge I am standing on crosses the River Coquet in rural Northumberland. If I look to the right, I see the market town of Rothbury. If I look to the left, I can see the landscape climb steeply towards the Simonside Hills. The river is calm, but it hides a deadly potential.

Several miles in front of me lies the small hamlet of Alwinton, nestled at the southern edge of the Cheviot Hills. According to government figures, it has a high yearly risk of surface water flooding, both now and in the future.

If I turn and look the other way, I can visualise the river snaking its way to the Northumberland coast. At various places along that coastline, sea level rise and coastal erosion is the main threat. The Environment Agency says up to 5% of the coastline will be at risk in 2055; relatively small compared to the challenge facing other parts of the country, especially the South West.