The whole of Norfolk could fall under water if the size of ENGLAND's 'apocalyptic' glacier melts

The Thwaites Glacier, which is about the same size as England, was nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier because it could raise sea levels d 'a terrifying meter when it melts The melting edge of Thwaites Glacier (

Image: NASA/SWNS)

A large area of ​​the UK could end up under water as a giant glacier the size of England threatens to melt due to global warming.

Historic Norfolk County would be threatened by the disappearance of the 'doomsday' glacier, a huge ice shelf at the South Pole that could melt much faster than scientists feared.

Officially known as the Thwaites Glacier, it's about the same size as England and could raise sea levels a terrifying meter when it melts. Low-lying coastal areas such as Norfolk and other parts of East Anglia are particularly at risk.

Rising sea levels could drown coastal and inland areas around the world, giving Doomsday Glacier its nickname.

A study by the University of South Florida found that the glacier has been melting faster over the past two centuries than we previously thought.

The ice of Thwaites Glacier is flowing particularly fast, and some researchers believe it may have already tipped into instability or is close to that point (

Picture:

NASA/SWNS)

Researchers used underwater drones to map the seafloor beneath the ice mass.

They found that it had declined twice as fast over the past 200 years as originally estimated.

Boffins said in the study: "Ice loss from West Antarctica's second largest sea ice stream, Thwaites Glacier, is currently a major uncertainty for future sea level projections.

"Its bed deepens upstream to more than two kilometers below sea level.