Fred and Polly Cole look likely to be cast adrift after councillors ordered them to move their 150ft German minesweeper from the mooring they have called home for 23 years.

Their plans to convert the boat into their dream home upset some residents who feel the vessel is too overbearing.

Planning officers may have initially recommended the plans should be approved but councillors do have a duty to listen to the views of all constituents.

Mr and Mrs Cole did, after all, bring in their boat without permission to their mooring and planning committees cannot just turn a blind eye to regulations.

In this case, however, a family's future is in danger of sinking into uncertainty, so there surely must be some scope to at least allow the Coles to appeal before they are cast adrift.

Many neighbours have supported the family and have signed a petition to let them stay.

Perhaps it is worth exploring compromises, such as how the boat could be dug deeper into the mooring so it does not look so imposing.

Maybe then it would not look so out of place among the other vessels which dominate the shoreline at Shoreham.