Rising sea levels and stormy weather may damage the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, the National Trust has warned.

A new Trust report says sea level rises of up to a metre this century will affect some of Northern Ireland’s most important tourist and wildlife areas.

Areas such as Strangford Lough could also be badly affected, says the Trust. The Giant’s Causeway is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Northern Ireland, and is a World Heritage Site.

The National Trust report warned access to the site would become more difficult, with problems as early as 2020. It could be affected by a 25cm rise in sea levels by 2050, the Trust is warning. The report, Shifting Shores: Living with a Changing Coastline, predicted sea level rises of between 85 and 100cm by 2100.